So, who has big plans for New Years Eve? Not me. I am like Cinderella without a pretty dress, glass slippers or a ball to go to. But I do have my Prince Charming and a fully stocked liquor cabinet (well not a cabinet but a shelf) so I am sure we will have fun whatever we end up doing. Personally I do not like going out on amateur night. I like to stay home where I am safe or sound.
Even when we are just staying at home I still like to have a nice spread of food. Here are some links to some of my favorite party foods for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
I may have an alcohol problem, I love adding a little booze to any dish I can. I've hated greens my entire life until this pass Thanksgiving when my Mom made the greens by the Neely's of the Food Network. Add a little booze and I am in love.
Boozy Braised Collard Greens
I love the idea of these cupcakes. They are so cute and I can't wait to try them. Once again Confessions of a Cookbook Queen has outdone herself.
New Years Eve Cupcakes
These are some of my favorite appetizer recipes you can find in this blog.
Viola's Queso
Jalapeño-Chicken Crescent Pinwheels
Party Meatballs
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Oatmeal Cranberry White Chip Cookies
Lindsey of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen were wonderful enough to host the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap this year. So of course due to my great love of cookies I immediately signed up. The basic rules were that you were assigned three food bloggers to send a dozen cookies to and in turn three different food bloggers would send you cookies. It was the perfect win/win scenario. Free Cookies in the mail and an excuse to bake up even more cookies. Plus I was introduced to new blogs I would have missed out on before.
I was lucky enough to receive three very creative and original cookies. April of Sutch a Delight sent me Red Velvet Crackle Cookies. Peanut Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies arrived from Josh and Ashley's World. I also received Cinnamon and Caramel Cookies from My Sweet Zepol
When it came time for me to decide what type of cookie to make I knew I didn't want to do anything too complicated and I wanted cookies that would ship well. Recently oatmeal cookies have crept into my list of favorite cookies. I love oatmeal raisin cookies and oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies, but for the swap I wanted to do something a little bit different, so these Oatmeal Cranberry White Chip Cookies were born. I love the contrast of the tartness of the cranberries with sweetness of the cookie.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth.
Stir in the egg and vanilla.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir into the creamed mixture.
Mix in the rolled oats, white chips and craisins.
Drop by tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.
I was lucky enough to receive three very creative and original cookies. April of Sutch a Delight sent me Red Velvet Crackle Cookies. Peanut Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies arrived from Josh and Ashley's World. I also received Cinnamon and Caramel Cookies from My Sweet Zepol
When it came time for me to decide what type of cookie to make I knew I didn't want to do anything too complicated and I wanted cookies that would ship well. Recently oatmeal cookies have crept into my list of favorite cookies. I love oatmeal raisin cookies and oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies, but for the swap I wanted to do something a little bit different, so these Oatmeal Cranberry White Chip Cookies were born. I love the contrast of the tartness of the cranberries with sweetness of the cookie.
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth.
Stir in the egg and vanilla.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir into the creamed mixture.
Mix in the rolled oats, white chips and craisins.
Drop by tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Coconut Macaroons
I love this time of year even though it is the busiest time of year. Today I spent the day volunteering preparing packages to ship to our soldiers overseas. But I did find time to bake some cookies today, Coconut Macaroons. I think these may be my mom's favorite cookies. Whenever I make them for her I have to remind her to share them. This is the just the basic recipe you can find on the back of the bag of coconut, with a few embellishments.
Ingredients
7 oz flake coconut
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp amaretto or almond extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 F
Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl.
Stir in egg whites and amaretto (almond extract) until well blended.
Drop by tablespoon on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks.
For an extra special treat you can the macaroons in melted chocolate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
Makes between 15 - 18 cookies.
Ingredients
7 oz flake coconut
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp amaretto or almond extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 F
Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl.
Stir in egg whites and amaretto (almond extract) until well blended.
Drop by tablespoon on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks.
For an extra special treat you can the macaroons in melted chocolate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
Makes between 15 - 18 cookies.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Nutella Shortbread Cookies
You really have to love technology. Right now I am writing this entry while sitting in a Chick-fil-A. Why am I sitting in a Chick-fil-A instead of the comfort of my own living room? Because I am in Orlando for a book signing by one of my favorite authors, Janet Evanovich, Her newest book just came out and she is having a book signing today. Since Orlando is just a short 2 hour drive, my amazing husband drove me down here so I could meet her in person. We arrived at 1 and got our wristbands and now we have to wait until she arrives. She will start signing at 1 but we're not supposed to come back until 2:30. So long story long, that is why I am here.
So for my second day of cookies (lets just pretend that I didn't miss yesterday, I was spending quality time with my granny) I would like to present these Nutella Shortbread Cookies.
Ingredients
1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup nutella
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 f
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
Mix in flour until dough comes together.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
Make a small hole in the center of each ball. I either use a the knuckle on of my fingers.
Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Fill the center with Nutella.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.
So for my second day of cookies (lets just pretend that I didn't miss yesterday, I was spending quality time with my granny) I would like to present these Nutella Shortbread Cookies.
Ingredients
1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup nutella
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 f
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
Mix in flour until dough comes together.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
Make a small hole in the center of each ball. I either use a the knuckle on of my fingers.
Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Fill the center with Nutella.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
War Hero Cookies (Peanut Butter Cookies)
COOKIES! Imagine me saying that in my best Cookie Monster voice. I love baking cookies, I don't know why I wait until December to bake them. I turn into a baking maniac in December, so Don't be surprised if I eat myself into a sugar coma before the month is up. Don't worry I will feel very guilty in January and I will probably go on a health kick after the first of year.
Today I have a simple peanut butter cookie. I call them War Hero Cookies because I ship them to my brother-in-law who is currently in Iraq.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Directions
Cream butter in a large mixing bowl.
Add sugars and beat for 2 minutes. Mix in the egg and peanut butter.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Slowly mix the dry ingredients with the sugar butter mixture.
Wrap dough is plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Roll the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.
I spray a spoon with cooking spray before flattening the cookies.
Use a fork to make the traditional crisscross pattern.
Bake until light brown, 8 - 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for a minute, transfer to to rack to finish cooling.
This recipes makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Today I have a simple peanut butter cookie. I call them War Hero Cookies because I ship them to my brother-in-law who is currently in Iraq.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Directions
Cream butter in a large mixing bowl.
Add sugars and beat for 2 minutes. Mix in the egg and peanut butter.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Slowly mix the dry ingredients with the sugar butter mixture.
Wrap dough is plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Roll the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.
I spray a spoon with cooking spray before flattening the cookies.
Use a fork to make the traditional crisscross pattern.
Bake until light brown, 8 - 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for a minute, transfer to to rack to finish cooling.
This recipes makes about 2 dozen cookies.
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