My favorite Christmas Cookie recipes

 

M&M  COOKIES  

1 c. packed brown sugar

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 c. butter, softened*

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

2 c. whole M&M'S  plain candies

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat sugars and butter in large bowl on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and eggs; beat in flour, salt and baking soda on low speed. Stir in candies. Drop dough by teaspoon about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with fork.

Bake until edges are light brown, 8 to 11 minutes. Let stand 3 to 4 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

Cookies made with butter will flatten more and tend to be somewhat darker along the edges, but are more flavorful. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

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Snowball cookies 

makes 36 cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup Butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325°F. raise the oven rack

Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar in bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 18-25 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.

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Iced Ginger cookies

2 cups of sugar

1-½ cups of coconut oil or softened butter

2 eggs

½ cup of molasses

31/2 cups of self rising flour

1 tablespoon of ground ginger

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Extra sugar

White chocolate Bark

In a bowl, combine sugar and oil, mix well and add the eggs. Stir in the molasses, combine all the dry ingredients and add in slowly until mixed well.  Roll into ¾ inch balls, roll in sugar and place on  a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes until just light golden on the bottom. Let cool  and place on wax paper and drizzle with melted white chocolate Bark.  I usually melt about 2 squares at time in the microwave  30  sec. a time  in a glass measuring cup till  melted.

Classic Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Makes 8 quarts.

This amazing yummy soup recipe was given to me years ago from a sweet lady in Kentucky!

Ingredients:
1 -  pound ground beef
1 - large yellow  onion  diced
1/2 -  head of  cabbage roughly chopped
2 - 28 oz. cans of diced potatoes drained
2 -  15 oz. cans sweet corn drained
2 - 14.5 oz. cans cut green beans drained
2 - 12 oz. bags  frozen peas and carrots
1 - 64 fl. oz. tomato juice
64 fl. oz. water
1/3 -  cup chopped  parsley
olive  Oil
salt and  pepper to taste

Directions:

In a 10 qt. stock  pot, over med. heat,  drizzle a teaspoon  of olive  oil in the pan and add the ground beef  crumbled up, when the meat is about halfway cooked, turn  the heat up a little and add the diced onion. Stirring  often till the meat is browned and the onions are soft. While this  is cooking be  opening the can  vegetables and drain off the water. 

Next add all of the canned vegetables and the frozen ones, all of the tomato juice, parsley, salt and pepper and start stirring and turn the heat up to high.  When mixed add the water, I  use the empty tomato juice can or bottle to fill up with water, then  add the cabbage and stir, Once this comes to a boil, turn  down to simmer  put a lid on cook for about  2 hours. After 2 hours do a taste to see if  it needs more salt and pepper, Cook longer if needed, when the cabbage in the soup is soft it is done.  Vegetable  soup is  always better the next day!

To Freeze:
When soup is completely cold, ladle it into freezer containers and it is  ready for the freezer. When your  ready to eat it, just  thaw  it out and dump into a  sauce pan and heat slowly on med./low  heat and serve.

Amish Apple Butter

I have  been making this little  recipe for years. Its very simple! It is a canning recipe.

You can also make applesauce with this recipe also by leaving out the allspice and cloves. I  dont  put  my apples through a sieve, I like my applesauce chunky.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
1 box med pasta shells cooked and drained
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper   to taste                                                                  
BESCIAMELLA SAUCE:
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you loose the floury taste.
Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes until thick and will coat the back of spoon. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Then add in your cheeses and stir until melted into the sauce. Stir in your cooked pasta and dumped into lightly greased baking dish 9x13 bake at 350 until bubbly and lightly brown around the edges.

Philly BBQ Brisket on Texas Toast Sandwich

Makes 4  sandwiches


Ingredients :
2 -  cups chopped cooked BBQ  Brisket  * See notes  below for Brisket recipe
8 -  slices of Texas toast
4  -  sliced Provolone cheese
1 - med. yellow  onion thinly sliced
1 -  green pepper thinly sliced
olive oil
butter

Directions:

  Preheat oven to 350*

In a med. skillet put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, sliced onion and sliced pepper  in and  sautee` till soft and remove from heat.

Butter the Texas  toast and place  the 8 slices on a baking sheet, put in oven till  golden on the bottom and take out of the  oven and flip them over , leave  them on the baking sheet,  put 1/2 cup of Brisket of 4 slices and  put the onion  and pepper mixture and  a dab of  butter on the other 4 slices and  place back in the oven for about 10 min. remove from oven, then put the Provolone cheese on the pepper and onions and Brisket  and put back in the  oven till cheese is slightly melted, Remove  from the oven put the top on the  sandwich and serve.

* Notes
http://homecookinrecipes.blogspot.com/2013/06/honey-barbecue-brisket.html

Chess Squares a` la mode

Chess Squares are very rich in flavor but perfect with a cup of coffee!

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3 eggs
4 cups (1 lb box) powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Vanilla Ice Cream
Butterscotch Ice Cream  topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300º and spray a 9×13 dish with  butter spray.
Mix together cake mix, melted butter and one egg to a soft dough. Press into the bottom of the pan. Then mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining two eggs until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Pour on top of crust.   Bake for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown.
 Let  sit for about 15 min. before cutting into  squares.
Place one or two squares  in a bowl and a couple of scoops of ice cream and  drizzle the top with Butterscotch Ice Cream topping and serve.
* The butterscotch flavor pairs perfectly with the flavor of the Chess Squares.

COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY SYRUP

Delicious and healthy!  

makes 8 small  pancakes or 5 med size as shown

Ingredients
4 Eggs
3 Tbsp melted coconut Oil
1/4 cup buttermilk  * batter thickens as it  sets  add more buttermilk if  necessary
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp  Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder

Directions
In a large bowl whisk together eggs, oil and buttermilk until well combined.
In a separate bowl sift coconut flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
Add dry to wet and thoroughly mix until there are no lumps.
Ladle 2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot skillet. Cook until bubbles begin to form on the top, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side.

Blueberry Syrup recipe
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. water
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water gradually. Add berries; bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for one minute, or until mixture thickens. Serve warm, or pour into a covered jar and keep in the refrigerator for several days. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Choc.Zucchini Brownies

Pepper Stuffing Over Rice

A new twist of old favorite growing up,  classic Stuffed Peppers.

makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 
1 pound ground chuck
3 bell peppers diced, you can use  green or the stop light colors, your choice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon  Worcestershire  sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon ground  cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1   8 oz. can tomato sauce
Basmati  rice
Olive Oil
Freshly ground  black pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion diced
Directions:
Add 2 teaspoons Olive  oil to a med.sized skillet and brown the meat on med. heat.  Once the meat is browned set aside.
In a 5 quart pan add  2 teaspoons of  olive oil and add diced peppers ( * Reserve about a half a cup of the peppers for a garnish ) and  add the chopped onion, and the minced garlic and saute for  10 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Then add  the browned meat to the  onions and peppers and add the the salt and pepper, Worcestershire  sauce, tomato sauce and the cumin and stir and   simmer  for 15 min.
While the meat  mixture is simmering cook the* Basmati rice according to the box for  4 servings.
Once the  rice is  done,  place about 3/4 cup of rice on a plate and add a nice portion of the meat mixture on the rice and garnish with the reserved  peppers, sprinkle them over the top.

*  I like to use Basmati rice, it  is a long  grain rice and it does not get sticky.

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken chill served  with a  Havarti   Cheese Spinach  Panini

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 large 2 onion, chopped
1 pound  ground chicken
1 tsp. salt
2 Tsp. ground cumin
1 cup water
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 tsp. chili powder
3 Tbs. flour
1 - 15 oz. can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh chopped baby  spinach
1 1/2 C frozen  corn
1 -15 oz. can chicken broth
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

 Directions:
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add ground chicken, 1 tsp. salt, cumin, oregano, and chili powder.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Stir the flour into the chicken mixture.  Add the beans, spinach, corn and chicken stock.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping  the  bottom of the pan often with a wooden spoon,  add more oil if needed.  Simmer roughly 30 minutes on low.  Add red pepper flakes and simmer.  Ladle in bowls and top  with  mozzarella cheese.

Havarti cheese and Spinach Panini.

 In a  med  skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add 2 cups of  fresh  baby spinach  and saute, just as the spinach starts to wilt take it off the heat.  If you have a Panini press get it hot and place a good whole grain bread on it , add the spinach and place 2- 3  to slices of Havarti cheese on the spinach and another slice of bread on top  and close the machine and  let it toast. If you  dont have a Panini press, you make just as you would a grilled cheese on the stove top.

Baked Beans with Brisket

These are just  the  best   beans ever and it is a slow cooker recipe.   It makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
5-15.5 ounce cans Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed
2 cups pre cooked cubed Brisket  * see note below
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup light  brown sugar
1 large yellow  chopped onion
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 can 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup  ketchup

Directions: 
Dump all ingredients  into the slow cooker and stir, pour in the rinsed and drained beans and stir again.  Place the lid and  set the slower cooker  on high for  2 hours and reduce to low for another  4 hours.  The last hour of cooking add more BBQ if needed to keep beans  from drying out.
*note...  when I cook  brisket I always save a container of about  2 cups of chopped  up brisket to put in the  freezer, to save for my  beans.  Just  set  out to thaw the  night before making the beans.

BBQ Sauce Chicken Pizza

Ingredients :

Pizza dough,  you can make your own dough or use can (13.8 oz)  refrigerated  pizza crust 

2  cups diced cooked  or grilled chicken breast 


3/4 cup drained pineapple tidbits

3/4 cup BBQ sauce

2  cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

1/3  cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4  teaspoon  crushed  red pepper flakes

  

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat oven to 425°F    Spray 15x10-inch baking sheet with cooking spray.   

 If  using the  refrigerated  crust, unroll dough in pan; starting at center, press dough into 15x10-inch rectangle and prick with a fork over the crust.   If  using  a home made crust  place in the pan and spread out to your desired thickness. Bake about 8 minutes or until light brown.  and remove  from oven. 

Spread the  crust with BBQ  sauce  just as  you would  Pizza sauce,  place the  cooked diced chicken over the  sauce, then add the drained Pineapple,  next  the sliced red onion,  sprinkle the crushed red pepper  flakes and top with the shredded Mozzarella.                                                                                                                                Place back in the  oven and Bake about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly and  melted. Sprinkle with  chopped Parsley. Wait a   few minutes to cut and serve.

Chicken fried Steak with Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons All purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (4-ounce) Cubed steaks
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups hot water
1 teaspoon  Emeril's Essence spice
1 large  yellow onion, sliced

Directions :

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 side of the meat with the Emeril`s  essence spice and then  place the steak in the flour mixture and coat the meat. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the steaks to the hot oil, and  fry until browned, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.  Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.
Make the gravy  by adding the 2 tablespoons remaining flour to the pan drippings scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the salt and the  water. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly.   Add water if the  gravy  looks too thick and stir in. Place  the steaks to the skillet  in the gravy and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let  simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve over white  rice.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

6 large eggs, hard boiled
1 medium Haas avocado
2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp red onion, minced
1 tbsp minced jalapeno
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp diced tomato
Directions:

Peel the cooled hard boiled eggs.
Cut the eggs in half horizontally, and set the yolks aside.
In a bowl, mash the avocado and 2 whole egg yolks; discard the rest. Mix in lime juice, red onion, Jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper and adjust to taste. Gently fold in tomato.
Scoop heaping spoonfuls of the guacamole into the 12 halved eggs. Arrange on a platter and serve

Stuffed Bell Peppers With Manwich

Ingredients

4-6 bell peppers

1 pound ground beef

1 can Manwich

thick sliced Cheddar cheese

1 med. yellow diced

Directions:

Stand each bell pepper up and place knife by the stem and cut it in half , remove insides and set in glass 8x8 baking dish and set aside.

In a skillet sautee the diced onions and add the ground meat and brown and drain off the fat and stir in the manwich and simmer for about 10 min.

Fill eat bell pepper with meat mixture, almost to full but do not overfill.

Place bell peppers in oven at 350° for 40-45 minutes.

About 10 min. before peppers are done, top each with a slice of cheese. Remove from oven when cheese is melted.