Holiday Cookie Recipe... White Chocolate Dipped Cookies with Peppermint Drizzle

This is for Kim, I hope these are good enough for ya. These are easy, no baking. This is the only reason I like Sandra Lee, otherwise she annoys me.

 

White Chocolate Dipped Cookies with Peppermint Drizzle

Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

2 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

0 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

40 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce) boxes white fudge covered cookies
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon meringue powder
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions

Arrange cookies on wire baking rack that has been placed on top of a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave some space between cookies. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add red food coloring and peppermint extract. Stir until combined. Spoon or pour red icing into a zip-top bag. Press out air and close. Snip off a small corner of bag.
Drizzle icing back and forth over the tops of the cookies. Allow to dry for 1 to 2 hours or until icing has hardened.

Holiday Cookie Recipe... Cinnamon Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies

These looked too good to pass up.  It is part of the 12 Days of Cookies over at FoodNetwork.com

 

Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies

Recipe courtesy Aaron Sanchez

Prep Time:

40 min

Inactive Prep Time:

45 min

Cook Time:

14 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

36 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Mexican cocoa powder (or substitute by adding 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons sweet butter, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Generous pinch ground black pepper
• Generous pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche, optional
• 1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped, optional

Directions

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk and set aside. Combine the sugars in a small bowl and mix well with your fingers pressing out any lumps. (Combine in a food processor if lumps are stubborn.)

In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter and margarine until creamy. Add sugar mixture, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the egg white and until the mixture is smooth. Stop the mixer. Add the flour mixture, beating on the lowest speed, just until incorporated. Gather the dough together with your hands and form it into a neat log, 9 to 10 inches long by 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Fold or twist ends of the paper without pinching or flatting the log. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes, or until needed.

Put the oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Use a sharp knife to slice rounds of chilled dough, a scant 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the cookies, 1-inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through. Cookies will puff and crackle on top, and then begin to settle down slightly when done.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or stacking. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.

To spice things up, after the cookies are baked, let them cool on a wire rack, drizzle with dulce de leche and sprinkle chopped almonds on top.

© 2009 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved

 

It's Back British Hottie Thursday... Jude Law

In honor of his new movie that opens on Christmas, I present Jude Law as my British Hottie this week.

Jude Law was born December 29, 1972, in south east London. He started acting with the National Youth Music Theatre at the age of 12, and, at 17, he dropped out of school completely, to star in a Granada daytime TV Soap called "Families" (1990). In 1992, Jude began his stage career. He starred in many plays throughout London, and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award of "Outstanding Newcomer." After doing the play "Indiscretions" in London, he moved and did it again on Broadway. This time, he was alongside Kathleen Turner. He then received a Tony Nomination for "Outstanding Supporting Actor." He was then rewarded the Theatre World Award. After Broadway, Jude started on the big screen, in many independent films. His first big-named movie was Gattaca (1997), with Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. He also had a good role in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997). Jude's latest rise to fame has been because of The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), in which he plays Matt Damon's obsession. The film did very well at the box office, and critics loved Jude's acting. He is also a partner in the production company "Natural Nylon." His partners include Jonny Lee Miller, Ewan McGregor and his ex-wife Sadie Frost. With his production company producing and Jude acting, his career seems to be on the rise.

Holiday Cookie Recipe... Chocolate Caramel Layer Bars

Chocolate-Caramel Layer Bars 



With a crust made from refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, these bars are layered with peanuts, cereal, milk chocolate and caramel to indulge any sweet tooth.
Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr 20 Min
Makes: 36 bars



Pillsbury Bake-Off
Kathleen Kildsig
Kiel, WI
Bake-Off® Contest 40, 2002
$2,000

INGREDIENTS:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1 bag (11.5 oz) milk chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 container (18 oz) caramel apple dip (1 1/2 cups)
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
1 cup chopped peanuts
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
2. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, cook 1 cup of the chips and 1 cup of the dip over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal and peanuts.
4. Spread cereal mixture over cooled crust. In 1-quart saucepan, heat remaining chips and dip over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Spread over cereal mixture. Refrigerate until chocolate mixture is set, about 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store tightly covered.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake crust 16 to 19 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:
1 Bar: Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 130mg; Total Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 17g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Try using semisweet chocolate chips instead of the milk chocolate chips.

A Rave Tonight ...Middle Sister Wines

I imbibed much tonight because I was in a bad way this afternoon and discovered I great new wine with a quirky sense of humor. Middle Sister Wines. I bought the Forever Cool Merlot and The Smarty Pants Chardonnay. The Merlot was delicious, I haven't tried the Chardonnay yet because I don't mix wines very well.I had 3 glasses of the Merlot and put some in my pasta creation tonight and it made it very yummy and I have to say I feel really great right now.  I found the wines at Target and they were around $10 a bottle, which I think is a great bargain.  Go buy some today.  Here is the link.  Middle Sister Wines.  Check them out.

Fan Fiction Recommendation day with some Eclipse stuff thrown in...

My first recommendation today is a Edward/Bella Fic.  It has Dr. Daddyward which is one of my favorite Edward's in it and Bella as a shy Lawyer helping him adopt.  It is sometimes sad as Esme has cancer, but it is worth the read.  It is the first Fic I have read from this author and it is well written. 
Almost Doesn't Count by Mrs. Robward
Bella is a family attorney & Edward seeks her help. Friendship abounds, maybe more? AH AU OOC Rated M b/c they are adults & will do adult things! AdoptaWard & LawyerElla, Canon Couples

Next is a Jasper/Bella Fic.  Jasper and all the Cullens have been turned back human except for Alice and Edward who are vengeful and sadistic in this story and go after Bella and her family.
But a Whisper on His Lips by MMM.Baby
It has been six long years since the Cullen family walked out of Bella's life. After having more heartbreak then one person should in a lifetime, Bella moves on. When she runs into a blond from her past.. how will things turn out? Rated M for a reason!

Is it too early to talk about Eclipse?  I don't think so.  There was an Eclipse Still of Edward and Bella released today and I have to say it was awesome.

June cannot come fast enough.  The Breaking Dawn information coming out has been interesting as well.  Do you think it needs to be made into two movies, if so why and also do you think they could do it justice with all the CGI they would have to do?  Who would you want to see as the director?

Holiday Cookie Recipe... Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies

Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies

Photo Courtesy of David Prince

Serves 8

Hands-on Time: 15m

Total Time: 50m

Ingredients

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
* 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with butter. Add a spoonful of flour, tilt to coat, and tap out any excess; set aside.

3. In a double boiler or a large heatproof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water, combine the chocolate and butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Remove from heat; let cool.

4. Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

5. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl until foamy. Add the sugar and whisk until light and frothy, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, whisking until incorporated after each addition. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

6. Bake until a skewer or toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge of the pan comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes (a bit of moist batter should cling to the skewer). Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Tip

Gourmet chocolate contains high-quality cacao beans and a high percentage of cocoa butter. Inferior chocolate often has sugar added to mask the flavor.

So you can add flavor extracts such as peppermint to them to change the flavor

Recipe available at http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/bittersweet-chocolate-brownies-10000001186295/