word to my mother

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy Dearest! You sure do deserve your own special mention. I would not be me if not for you and we go back and forth on this all the time but I can never say it enough. I am very fortunate to have never wished "not to be my mother" when I was a bratty teen, even in the heat of slamming a door in your face or smashing something valuable into pieces (we have a history of tempers in our family but they are balanced with our fierce loyalty to each other, deal with it). Never have you looked down upon me or offered unsolicited advice (even if I don't outright say "help me," you always know when to). You forever have an open ear, even if you weren't thrilled with what was being said into it. I will forever love your mantra "anything you do, I did ten times worse to my mother when I was your age" and thus never felt the need to "rebel" and always felt I had a certain freedom. This resulted in the above mentioned need to spill all to you. If I ever have a secret, it never lasts long because it eats me alive and I have to come crawling to my Mommy Dearest for advice.

Words never suffice for these such days that should really be celebrated every day and so I will move on to something wholly inspired by my mom's taste buds. Clean, to the point with a dash of tartness. All her and all of my love.

Lemon-Ginger Cookie Sandwiches

from Big Fat Cookies
Yield: 9 large, 18 small
INGREDIENTS
cookie
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C confectioners sugar
2 t finely grated lemon zest
1 t vanilla extract I added 1/2 t almond extract because my mom loves that flavor
1 C (4 oz) whole blanched almonds, toasted and finely ground

filling
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C confectioners sugar
2 t finely grated lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
cookies
1. Sift the flower, salt, ginger and cinnamon into a bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar in a mixer until fully incorporated. On low, mix in lemon zest, vanilla and ground almonds.
3. Beat in the flour mixture until the flour is incorporated and the dough holds together and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
4. Divide the dough in half and form two 6-inch disks. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate until they is cold and firm enough to roll, about 30-40 minutes. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Unwrap one piece of dough. Flour the rolling surface and roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter 3 1/4 to 3 1/2-inch circles or smaller, cut out cookies (9-18). Unwrap the other piece of dough and cut out remaining cookies, to have an even number. Cut a circle or other shape from the center of half of the cookies.
6. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are light brown and tops firm, 15-20 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to cooling racks.

filling
1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth.
2. Spread the frosting onto cookies that do not have the holes in the center and make sandwiches with those that do have holes. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition (per1/18): 285 cal, 18g fat, 43mg sod, 28g carb, 16g sugar, 1g fiber, 3g protein

it's what's in the middle that counts

"You've been silent for a month and you are giving us bars?! Really?" I know that's what you are thinking and yes, I am. "Oat bars? AGAIN?" Yes, but these are different, I promise. I make bars and cookies and individual things a lot because I'm often doling them out for meetings with large groups of people and as much as I love cake and pie and tarts, you have to save all of that manhandling with the serving knife for your family. That and certain people need portion control. Come on, you all have that person in the office (or home, ahem) who thinks that "just one slice" equates to a quarter of the cake and before you know it a cake for sixteen has turned into a cake for six. Then you have people like me who say "oh just a sliver" and ten slivers later you've had two whole pieces. I am not in denial, people, I know my weaknesses. That being said, there is something awe-inspiring about toting in a nice, round confection eight inches across and six inches deep with simple, chic . I will have to tame the pie wrangler sooner or later.

Back to important matters, these squares are fabulous and I didn't do any crazy tweakage from the original recipe...the first time I made them. I am still perfecting a white chocolate pistachio version and if you master it before I, please let me know. I have a feeling it has to do with much more sugar occurring in white "chocolate" than dark and I need to mess around with that a bit. Ignoring the chemistry behind these for now, though, I have to say, these bars have satisfied my longing for Keebler® MAGIC MIDDLES! Do you remember these? Were you actually birthed when these things were in existence? I think I OD'd on these cookies around the same time I did on Cool Ranch Doritos® and Pizzarias Chips (also discontinued) but like all things from the past, they come back and haunt me every so often and I wonder why, oh why did they ever go away? The centers to these bars have the same melty-but-not-gooey consistency when left at room temp. If you put them in the fridge, they firm up nicely and are equally as enjoyable. However, if you want a trip down '90s junk food lane, leave them on your table and nix the nuts.

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars

adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Yield: 32

INGREDIENTS
oatmeal dough
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 stick and 6T unsalted butter, room temperature
2 C brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 C old-fashioned (rolled) oats

chocolate filling
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk, any fat content
2 C (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 t salt
1 t pure vanilla extract
3/4 C salted peanuts, coarsely chopped I think anything goes here. I tried macadamias, almonds and cashews and they all turned out great!

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil or grease thoroughly.
oatmeal dough
1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Still on low speed, or working by hand with a rubber spatula, stir in the oats.
5. Set aside 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the mixture, then evenly press the remaining dough over the bottom of the pan. Set aside while you prepare the chocolate layer.

chocolate filling
1. If you don't have a double-boiler, set a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
2. Put the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt in the bowl and stir occasionally until the milk is warm and the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the vanilla and nuts.
3. Pour the warm chocolate over the oatmeal crust, then drop the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top in clumps.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is matte and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool for about 2 hours before cutting.

Nutrition: 341 cal, 17.5g fat, 190mg sod, 42g carb, 23g sugar, 1g fiber, 4g protein

 

yummy things still exist

I do this a lot in life. I just kind of...trail off and leave people hanging. It's become a learned thing. Something I would like to blame on other people for introducing it to me or me to it but really it has been there all along. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and responsible for every piece of minutia that is in my life. Will my best friend be just a smidgen more annoyed with me today if I put off calling her again or will she be colossally annoyed to the point of not talking to me at all, ever? If I wait one more day to send in my grad application will I not get in? If I eat this piece of cookie will it go straight to that awful place where my ass meets my hips and force me to wear a wetsuit for my single beach jaunt this summer? This stuff keeps me up at night, every night and basically has since I was twelve. So, sometimes I let things slide and pretend they are not there and that is basically what I have done here.  Not because this is a thorn in my side, more because I have let some other stuff be. LAME, I KNOW. Trust me, I have a pile of sweet treats (and hopefully not so sweet because I think even I am getting a toothache) that I'll be tossing out there. So sit tight and praise to you if you even peek in here anymore!

tricolor treat

Since we boozed it up earlier and last year with the Irish sweets, this is more akin to spring and a cutesy representation of the Irish flag. I also thought that after several servings of stout with a side of corned beef, people's stomachs might want something light, if there is room for anything at all.

Carrot Cake, the Lighter Side

adapted from Cook's Country
Yield: 24 cupcakes, 1 9x13-inch cake or 1 8-inch two-tiered cake

INGREDIENTS
cake
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 4-oz jar carrot baby food
1 C packed dark brown sugar
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded

cream cheese frosting
1 8-oz package of Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1 C marshmallow cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/4 C confectioners sugar

DIRECTIONS
cake
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and line your 12 cup muffin pan, 9x13-inch pan or 2 8-inch round pans.
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, baby food and sugar until smooth and creamy. 3. Slowly add the oil to the egg mixture, while still mixing. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing until nearly smooth. Fold in the carrots.
5. Spread the batter in the prepped pan and bake until a toothpick comes out almost clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

cream cheese frosting
1. Beat together the cream cheese, marshmallow cream and vanilla. Add the sugar and mix till smooth.


Nutrition (per cupcake):  166cal, 7g fat, 202mg sod, 25g carb, 13g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

st. pat's staples

Sit down to a traditional boiled dinner, pour some whiskey down your throat and top it off with these little treats as you declare yourself Irish for a day. We're pulling out all of the stops this year with the corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, soda bread and beer. These little gems were a concoction from the most Irish person I know, Torren "I was named after an Irish Cabbage Patch Kid" Doherty. Thank you for bumping up the percentage of green blood in the household.

Chocolate Stout and Irish Cream Sandwich Cookies

Yield: 18 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
cookies
3/4 C butter
3/4 C dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 oz. stout I used Young's Double Chocolate

filling
2 C confectioners sugar
1/4 C unsalted butter
2-3 T Bailey's® Irish Creme liqueur

DIRECTIONS
cookies
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
1. Reduce stout in a saucepan at a constant simmer over medium heat, until it is a thick syrup, about 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup. Make sure to keep an eye on the pan and stir every so often so it will not boil over or burn.
2. As the stout is simmering, cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla. Meanwhile, check on the stout.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
4. When the stout syrup is fully reduced, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Alternating, add the flour mixture and stout syrup to the creamed mixture.
5. Drop tablespoons of the cookie dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on rack before frosting.

filling
1. Cream butter and slowly add confectioners sugar.
2. Beat in liqueur.
3. Spread generously between two cookies and serve.

Nutrition: 242 cal, 11g fat, 155mg sod, 33g carb, 21g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

in like a lion out like a fluffy cupcake

For the sake of our auto insurance, let's hope that this freezing apocalyptic winter is coming to an end and that we won't have to worry about cars skating down the hill into our innocent parked ones or attempting to pack all of our residents in front of our house thanks to our neighbors' bogus handicap space while being overjoyed that we only had to make a ten point turn out of the space instead of a twenty. True, these things will happen as the snow and ice melt but in a less precarious fashion. Hopefully I won't rue this statement in July or something after I have parallel parked on top of our next door neighbor's cat.

There have been plenty of bright spots, however, and most of them surround the crazy amount of people who are hovering around thirty and still having birthday parties! Maybe that wears off once people start having kids? Or maybe it can't be denied that people like to have a shindig and even more so when it's bleak and blustery out. HA. I think I'll stick to my August birthday of lazing on the beach with the two people who still talk to me on a regular basis, thanks! Regardless, I can't complain that the rash of celebrations has provided me with plenty of opportunities to get creative with cupcakey prezzies and wrappers and boxes. Here are the results from one of my go-to recipes that young and old seem to enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Yield: 12

INGREDIENTS
cake
1/2 C melted unsalted butter, browned and cooled
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3/4 C dark brown sugar
1/2 C buttermilk any fat content
1 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 C mini chocolate chips

cookie dough filling
1/4 C butter, softened
1/4 C plus 2 T brown sugar
1 T milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 C flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 C mini chocolate chips

cookie dough frosting from Annie Eats
3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C plus 2 T brown sugar, packed
1 3/4 C confectioners’ sugar
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
mini chocolate chips for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
cake
Line 12 cup cupcake tin with liners. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
1. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk browned butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Alternating, beat buttermilk and flour mix into the sugar mixture until just incorporated. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into cupcake liners 3/4 of the way and bake for 20-25 min. or until cupcake tops spring back to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before assembly.

eggless cookie dough filling
1. Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl. Add milk and vanilla and mix well. 2. Beat flour and salt until just combined. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

cookie dough frosting
1. Cream together the butter and brown sugar.
2. Mix in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the flour and salt.
4. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth.

 Cone method

assembly
1. Once cupcakes have cooled, use the cone method to carve out the tops.
2. Make little balls of the cookie dough and place in the hole. Cover with top.
3. Frost with cookie dough frosting and sprinkle chips on top for garnish. Fab!

Nutrition (not for the diet friendly): 480 cal, 27g fat, 136mg sod, 57g carb, 38g sugar, 1g fiber, 4.5g protein

second time's a charm

I love the sections in Cook's Illustrated where they "revisit" a traditional home recipe like chocolate brownies, carrot cake or corn chowder and try to perfect and rejuvenate it.  Sometimes a recipe is just too good to give up on. Such was the case with these bars that Mommy Dearest made for the Christmas cookie plates. She followed the directions perfectly and regardless of what Kraft may say, they did not solidify and ended up leaking over many of our other lovely confections. Caramel Peppermint Crescents? Not a great combination.

The ingredient combo in these bars appealed to most of us but we had a very difficult time prying them off of the plates to actually taste them. I had to come up with a way to remedy the issue because caramel, marshmallow and graham crackers are too high on my list to pass this recipe up. Below is the result. You can view the original recipe for a comparison and you will see in the reviews that several people had the same issue that we did and also felt there was too much chocolate (which I pared down). I am not entirely surprised considering the process and ingredients used in the original recipe would most likely not yield a solid bar unless frozen and then your dentist would be thanking you and your wallet would be crying.

Caramel Crunch Bars

adapted from Kraft
Yield: 24

INGREDIENTS
9 Graham cracker sheets
2 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk any fat content will do, I used one can fat free
1/2 C unsalted butter again, you can use light sticks of butter
1/2 C roasted peanuts I prefer the dry roasted
1 C miniature marshmallows
1 C (3-oz) coarsely crushed pretzels
4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T melted peanut butter for drizzling optional

DIRECTIONS
Line 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil or grease regular foil generously.
1. Fit 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets along the base of the pan as tightly as possible. Crush up the remaining graham crackers to distribute crumbs between the cracks. This was a particular complaint among the original recipe- people felt the caramel leaked below the crackers and created a sticky mess.
2. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and turn up heat to medium-high, bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to medium-low to simmer. Stir mixture constantly until it thickens and turns amber in color. Time will vary depending on your stove top but with my gas range it took about 20-25 minutes (a little less if I cooked on medium heat but be careful not to burn and do NOT walk away from the stove).
3. Gently pour and smooth caramel over graham crackers.
4. Press peanuts, marshmallows, pretzels and chocolate over the caramel. To ensure that everything sticks and to give a toasted look to the marshmallows, I will turn on the broiler and put the pan in the oven for 2 min.
5. Drizzle peanut butter over top if desired.

Nutrition: 245 cal, 9g fat, 120mg sod, 38g carb, 32g sugar, 1g fiber, 5g protein

buttered up with lurve

V-Day (not this one though it would be much better to have something donated to this than a box of chocolate donated to my hips) is approaching. It is difficult to avoid the onslaught of chocolate, hearts and unnaturally winter-grown  flowers. Valentine's Day is a nice reason to have something to look forward to in the oppressive static of winter (have I complained about this enough yet?) and it doesn't have to be some massive smorgasbord of diamonds and puppies and retail therapy. I would like to say that I ignore it altogether and my husband would be thrilled that the "corporate holiday" did not manage to grasp me in its clutches. However, as mentioned numerous times, my family celebrates everything and my parents always seized an opportunity to include us on this day of lurve. From a mini My Little Pony with a heart on its bum to a sweet sentiment of a heart-shaped box that was my mother's, the day was marked as something special for everyone, not just the couples. This year I am most looking forward to being at an elementary school during the festivities. Remember the days when you would make a giant heart envelope and taped it to the end of your desk to receive valentines with Transformers or Care Bears on them? When I was in first grade I even got one with a phone number on the back, quite daring for even some people I know now...

It cannot be denied that sweets are as much a part of this day as the hearts. As a little precursor I whipped up this batch of pink peppermint to spread on dark chocolate cupcakes and am sending a batch out to some much-loved people who have had a bit of a rough start to the year. I think Torren would rather I showered the love of the Hallmark holiday elsewhere anyway.

Boiled Buttercream

Yield: 24 servings
*Warning: this is not a frosting that will hold up well on hot days.

INGREDIENTS
1 C milk
1/4 C all-purpose flour, sifted this is important or it will be lumpy!
1 C unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 t vanilla extract for altering the flavor to mint almond or otherwise, I reduce the vanilla to 1 t and add in 1/4 t of the additional extract

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, continually whisk together the sifted flour and milk on medium heat until the mixture thickens to a spreadable paste. Stir in extracts. Let cool completely.
2. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fully combined.
3. Beat in cooled flour mixture starting on medium speed. Then beat on high until the frosting is light, almost like a whipped cream, about 3-5 minutes. Decorate to your liking.

Just to know, this frosting is less sweet than buttercream with confectioners sugar and has a slightly more granulated texture due to the sugar used.

Nutrition: 117 cal, 7g fat, 0mg sod, 13g carb, 12g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g protein

and on the snow day, we bake

 The latest dumping of snow left me with yet another a day off from school and I felt compelled to crank up the oven, toast my house and lick some batter off of a spoon (one of these days my Mommy Dearest will be proven right and I will get salmonella but I am willing to risk it). Inspired by the ever trendy shade of "winter sludge grey" that was piling up outside my windows from the plows, I decided to work on a dark chocolate cake with bright white frosting while trying to replicate that Oreo® taste.

Basically, the filling of an Oreo® is sweet without a defining flavor, not even much vanilla, and the cookie is very dark with little else than cocoa powder and sugar. I knew it would take a rich cocoa powder and plenty of it to replicate the color. After much trial and error, this is the most similarly tasty version without sacrificing moisture, a problem that chocolate cakes often present.

Oreo Cake

Yield: 24 cupcakes, 1 two or three layered cake

INGREDIENTS
cake
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
2 C all-purpose flour
1 C cocoa powder love my Hershey's® Special Dark, it really created the Oreo® taste
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 C butter milk any fat content, I made my own with skim milk
3/4 C butter, melted and cooled
1 C boiling water

frosting
3 C confectioners' sugar
3/4 C shortening (not butter)
1/2 T vanilla
2 T milk
crushed Oreos® optional
DIRECTIONS
cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Fill two standard sized 12-space cupcake tins with liners. If making cake, you can either grease two 9-inch cake pans or three 8-inch cake pans.
1. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Whisk (do not use an electric mixer) in all wet ingredients except boiling water until just combined.
3. Stir in boiling water, batter will be thin.
4. Pour batter into tins or pans. For cupcakes, bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. For cake, bake for 30-35 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing to frost.

frosting
1. Beat shortening, with electric mixer.
2. Slowly add confectioners' sugar until combined.
3. Beat in vanilla and milk.
4. Spread frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle with crushed cookies if you desire.

Nutrition (per 1 cupcake or 1/24): 283 cal, 12g fat, 106mg sod, 41g carb, 31g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g protein

a bright spot in days of grey

I actually saw two rainbows through the winter snow while driving in Upstate New York. I have seen rainbows many times as I drove along I-90 but never in the winter. (Inclement weather waits for me to hit the road or it is an ever present thing in Upstate. I believe it is the latter.) It was like one of those black and white photos that have been colorized to emphasize a certain subject or aspect minus the cheese factor (we're all entitled to our opinions, maybe you love Comic Sans, too? There, there, your new prescription lenses are on their way.). Regardless, the affect was something I cannot describe. Kind of a little prezzie reminding me that even winter in its harsh, grey glory had gifts to give.

I am done waxing poetic. These are my little rainbow winter prezzies. They are easy and tasty and I have found that dudes and kids (synonymous, no?) enjoy them especially.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Rounds

Yield: about 6 dozen

INGREDIENTS
2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C + 2 T Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 C unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 C reduced fat creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 C + 1/3 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 medium (11.4 oz) package Peanut Butter M&M's®, 6 dozen counted and set aside, crush the remaining M&M's® into small pieces
6 dozen chocolate covered pretzels I used an entire box of these

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
1. Cream brown sugar, peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla until combined.
2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Stir in crushed M&M's®.
3. Roll a half tablespoon amount of dough per each cookie, place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
4. Bake one baking sheet at a time for 8-9 minutes or until set. Do not over-bake.

ASSEMBLY
1. Immediately after removing cookies from the oven, press a chocolate covered pretzel on the top of each cookie.
2. As the chocolate is melting slightly, quickly press an M&M® on top of each pretzel.
3. Move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition: 85 cal, 4g fat, 56mg sod, 11g carb, 5g sugar, .5g fiber, 1g protein

dark treats for dark winter days

In the dead of winter after all of the festivities have passed, a little cloud of sadness sometimes appears as you hope for spring to arrive. This cloud may be a little larger and darker with lake effect snow and blizzard-like winds if you live in the Northeast. Curses on you if you are basking in the glow of Texas sunshine. Or maybe I should say "you are so lucky and beautiful, would you please send me a plane ticket?"

During these long months as the days ever so slowly gain light, we need something to warm our hearts, brains and stomachs. Caramel and chocolate are perfect dead-of-winter flavors and these will most certainly tide you over until the last signs of snow melt away by the end of Mar...{cough}May. I did say that we live in the Northeast.

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 C butter or margarine, softened
1 C sugar
1 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa I love Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa®
1 t baking soda
1 C chopped pecans, optional
9 oz package of chocolate covered caramels Rolo®s and Caramel Kisses® work well

DIRECTIONS
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape one tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely, to form balls.
4. If desired, gently press the top of each ball into the chopped pecans. In my world, kids won't touch anything with nuts on it and my lovely grandmother cannot have them so I skipped this step.
5. Place balls, pecan sides up, 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; cool completely on wire racks.

Nutrition: 114 cal, 5g fat, 37mg sod, 17g carb, 11g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

in with the new

People are bidding adieu to 2010 and sending a "hollllaaaa!" to 2011 all over the place.    Looking back to a year ago I was waffling over life decisions and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with myself by pinning no less than twelve career possibilities up on our living room wall. Fortunately, many (literally) did not stick and I think I am truly enjoying what I am doing right now. I just need to curb the procrastinating and finally wrap up some loose ends.

I figured I should post something that is a fresh start to the year and has been a recipe that I have long wanted to do but has made me a little wary. These Venetians or Neopolitans or Seven Layer Cookies as sometimes called elsewhere, are an easy segue into a petit four and I think I'll be able to tackle the real thing soon enough. These take a little while due to the baking of the layers and a lack of multiple 9x13-inch dishes but the prep and assembly was surprisingly easy and I will definitely make these again.

Happy 2011 and here's to tackling something new and perhaps a little daunting!

Venetians

adapted from Good Housekeeping
Yield: 56

INGREDIENTS
7 oz. macaroon or almond paste
1-1/4 C butter or margarine, softened
1 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs (separated)
2 C sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 T almond extract
1/4 t salt
20 drops red food coloring
20 drops green food coloring
1 (12 ounce) jar apricot or peach jam
4 oz. semi or bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS
Grease three 9x13-inch baking pans. If you are not blessed an abundance of space and bake ware (like me) to own three, you will just have to take a little extra time and prep the dish three times. Line with wax paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Combine almond paste, sugar, butter, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in flour and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a wooden spoon, fold into the almond mixture.
3. Divide dough into three 1-1/2-cup portions. Fully stir red coloring to one of the portions, green to another and leave the last colorless. Spread the batter in the three separate prepared pans (keeping the colors separate). If you are using less than three pans, cover the extra dough with plastic wrap so it won't dry out. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. (Each layer will be 1/4 inch thick). Remove cakes from pan immediately. Cool thoroughly.

assembly
1. Stack layers in a 9x13 inch pan, spreading the fruit jam between layers (no jam on top layer).
2. For the record, I skipped this step due to time constraints and lived to tell the tale. If you have the time though, it would be ideal. Place second 9x13-inch pan or baking sheet on top layer and weigh down with two 5 pound bags of sugar or flour. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and spread over cake. Allow to set. Trim edges and cut into 1-inch squares. Again, I actually cut the squares shortly after spreading the chocolate while it was still soft. This prevented any cracking of the chocolate, something I suspected might happen if it were cold.

Nutrition: 122 cal, 6g fat, 18mg sod, 16g carb, 7g sugar, 0g fiber, 1.5g protein

...and to all a good night

I'll spare you the blathering as a holiday present. Let's get to the point. You will definitely scream "whoopie!" and spew red and white winterfulness after taking a bite of these. A light hint of cocoa paired with the biting peppermint is pretty close to perfection. Merry, happy and peace to all.

Peppermint Red Velvet Whoopies

adapted from Paula Deen
Yield: 24 pies

INGREDIENTS
pies
3 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 C shortening
One 1-ounce bottle red food coloring
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C buttermilk

peppermint filling
5 T all-purpose flour
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
3/4 C confectioner's sugar
8 T (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 C solid vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 t peppermint extract
crushed peppermint candies

DIRECTIONS
pies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets.
1. Sift the flour, baking soda, and cocoa together. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, shortening, food coloring, and vanilla.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together until they turn pale and double in volume.
3. Add the oil mixture and beat to combine.
4. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in five small additions, starting and ending with the flour.
5. Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between drops, as the cookies will spread. You’ll be making 48 cookies. Bake until the cookies are firm but not crisp, 8-10 minutes. Transfer immediately to racks to cool.

filling
1. Put the flour into a medium saucepan and slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until very thick, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
2. Cream the sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla and peppermint extracts with an electric mixer.
3. Add the cooled flour mixture and whip until fluffy.
4. Spread onto one cookie and top it with another to make a sandwich; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Roll edges in crushed peppermint. Cover the filled whoopie pies with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition: 297 cal, 17g fat, 74mg sod, 34g carb, 20g sugar, .3g fiber, 2.5g protein

spinning my pinwheels

This is a recipe I have been eying for a good chunk of my life as we combed through recipes in this cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens®.  This book has provided the basis for my dad's awesome biscotti and one of my all-time favorite cookies, Coconut Jumbles.  I remember looking through the book as a kid after my dad told me to pick a favorite and how could I deny a pink-fluffy confection with coconut on top?!  Those have been a cookie plate standard every since.  Thank you Father Fartknocker, tee-hee.  Now that I am happily contributing to the family diabetes plate, I thought it time to attempt these pretty (and also pinkish) pinwheel cookies.  They always looked to be difficult but thankfully it is more in the design and less in the actual work.  I hope to make them again next year but with perhaps a few edits.  These are scrumptious but fragile even with the edition of shortening.  I can't have fragile cookies when they travel through three states and over 350 miles.  The dough also warmed up very quickly after sitting in the fridge well over twenty-four hours and stuck bit during the rolling process so be a little generous with the "lightly flour surface."  Regardless though, I was happy with the outcome and intend to try the fluted edge next year to make them super fanciful. 

Cherry Cheese Pinwheels

from Cookies, Cookies, Cookies and Any-Day Treats
Yield: 36

INGREDIENTS
dough
1/3 C butter, softened
1/3 C shortening
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
2 C all-purpose flour

cherry cheese filling
4 oz cream cheese or neufchatel cheese, softened
2 T sugar
1/4-1/2 C chopped dried cherries

DIRECTIONS
dough
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
3. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat in the flour on low speed. Divide dough into fourths. Cover; chill about 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

cherry cheese filling
1. Combine cream cheese or reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir in dried cherries. Makes about 3/4 cup.

assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll a portion of the dough into a 10x5-inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut dough into eight 2 1/2-inch squares. Place squares 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
2. Cut 1 inch slits from each corner toward the center of each square. Spoon a level teaspoon of filling onto center of each square. Fold every other tip in corners to center of squares to form a pinwheel; press gently to seal. If desired, sprinkle tops with flaked coconut.
3. Repeat with remaining dough, and filling. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire racks and let cookies cool.

Nutrition: 84 cal, 4g fat, 52mg sod, 11g carb, 6g sugar, 1g fiber, 1g protein

lend me an ear and i'll sing you a song...

Inundated. That is a good way to describe how I feel at this time of year. I wasn't feeling super cheerful due to the endless list of things I wanted/needed (I'm very OCD, they are practically the same thing to me) to do this season. However, I found myself exclaiming "I LOVE CHRISTMAS!" after several sweet fourth graders deposited presents on my desk. Now, that sounds materialistic but the stuff had nothing to do with it. These sweet children thought of me when I am not even their teacher. I am merely an adult in their classroom that helps take care of one of their friends on a daily basis. Over seventy percent of children in this city live in the "low-income" or below bracket. Many receive free school lunch. The fact that they took time and family money to show they cared is beyond comprehension. Several more students started lamenting that they needed to run out and get me a gift after seeing a few peers do so. Over an over I pleaded that they save their money and just the thought to care was more than a present to me. So thankfully, some agreed and cute little handmade cards made their way to my desk and I will treasure them always. How can working in an elementary school not be the most fulfilling thing ever? I am already plotting my end-of-school-year present to them in hopes of showing them a fraction of how they make me feel. I have never felt more "holiday cheer" than at this school this week.

Thank you for letting me chat your ear off. Now I will share my ears, these yummy-scrumbo Elephant Ears, with you. Hopefully you can take a minute to savor and enjoy and let the rush melt around you.

Almond Elephant Ears

adapted from Big Fat Cookies
Yield: 24

INGREDIENTS
dough
2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 C cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/2-inch pcs
1/2 C sour cream

filling
7 oz almond paste, broken into pieces
2 T unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C confectioner's sugar
2 t heavy cream or milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 t almond extract
1 C granulated sugar, for rolling
1/2 C dried fruit optional

DIRECTIONS
dough
1. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with an electric mixer on low speed until the largest of the butter pieces are the size of peas. The butter pieces will be different sizes and there will still be some loose flour.
2. A the sour cream and mix until large clumps of dough form that pull away from the sides of the bowl.about 15 seconds(or use a pastry blender to combine the flour mixture and butter.
3. Form the dough into a smooth ball and flatten it into an 8x15-inch rectangle. Small pieces of butter will remain in the dough, contributing to the flaky texture.
4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to rest and firm the dough.

filling
1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the almond paste and butter until smooth.
2. Mix in the confectioner's sugar, cream or milk, vanilla and almond extract until blended to a smooth soft mixture. Stir in dried fruit if desired.
3. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, cover and set aside at room temperature for up to 1 hour or refrigerate if leaving overnight.

assembly
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare to roll the dough by sprinkling flour and sugar on a work surface and rolling pin.
1. Remove dough from refrigerator, unwrap and roll the dough to a 14x12-inch rectangle. Don't flip the dough over while rolling, but lift and turn it several times as you roll it to prevent it from sticking to the rolling surface, sprinkling sugar generously on the rolling surface.
2. Use a thin spatula to spread the filling in a thin layer over the dough.
3. Turn the dough if necessary so a short side faces you. Measuring along the 14-inch sides, mark the center of the dough. Rolling from the shorter 12-inch edge that is closer to you, roll up the dough like a jelly roll just to the marked center then roll the far side toward the center until the two rolls meet. You will have a double log of filled dough that is smoothly attached on the bottom side.
4. Turn the double log over for easier cutting and press in the ends of the log to smooth them. Use a large sharp knife to cut the log into 12 1" thick slices.
5. Dip both sides of each slice in sugar, sprinkle the rolling pin with sugar. Roll out each slice of dough to a large butterfly shape about 2x4-inches and about 1/16 of an inch thick, sprinkling the rolling pin as necessary with sugar. The cookies will not all be exactly the same size.
6. Use a large spatula to place the cookies at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with about 1/2 t sugar.
7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops are evenly light brown, about 15 minutes. The cookies will spread about 1 inch and rise slightly and the filling may bubble up on some of the cookies and have a few darker spots. Cool the cookies for about 5 minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition: 184 cal, 11g fat, 114mg sod, 36g carb, 23g sugar, 1g fiber, 7g protein

twelve cookies of christmas

Actually, it's more like seventeen- I made ten varieties and my mother made seven.  If you are receiving a cookie plate from us, I hope you like to shake it up a bit.  I am going to do my best to post the cookies I made to contribute to our annual plates before the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.  For the most part, I went a little crazy this year and tried out six new recipes. The only negative was that they were not original concoctions of my own. Maybe next year I will get it together and invent some new cookies. Overall, I was pretty happy with the majority and will decide which will reappear in the future after the initial cookie plate attack occurs at Grandma Suedy's house after Christmas dinner.  Now, I do not want to see another cookie for at least three months.  Maybe I'll make ice cream (my other love) instead...

Let's start this madness with something really akin to wintry flavors and colors.

Peppermint Crescents

from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
Yield: 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 C unsalted butter, softened
2/3 C sifted confectioner's sugar
1 t peppermint extract
1/8 t salt
2 1/2 C flour
2 C sifted confectioner's sugar, divided
2 1/2 T milk
1/4 t peppermint extract
coarsely crushed hard peppermint candy

DIRECTIONS
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, and salt; beat well. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Divide dough into thirds; cover and chill 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 portion of dough at a time, divide each portion into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a 2-inch log; curve ends of each log to form a crescent. Place crescents 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
3. Bake for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets. Carefully roll warm cookies in 1 cup confectioner's sugar, and then cool completely on wire racks. After speaking to wise Mommy Dearest about this, she said that the confectioner's sugar may have a more consistent appearance if I wait to let the cookies cool completely.
4. Combine remaining cup of confectioner's sugar, milk and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, stirring until smooth. Drizzle icing over cookies; sprinkle with crushed peppermint, pressing gently. Let icing set before serving. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Nutrition: 117 cal, 5g fat, 13mg sod, 17g carb, 10g sugar, 0g fiber, 1g protein

the calm before the storm

Christmas cookie baking is looming and I hope to post the majority of what I make over the next couple of weeks.  I have made some bars and cookies already but everything else should be confections that I have not posted before. It will definitely be interesting because I plan on shaking up the cookie routine I have managed to form over the past few years of being a homeowner.

If you haven't noticed my family is the "go big or go home" type. Thanksgiving was nuts with its three days of feasting and Christmas will be just as crazy with its twelve days (at least) of cookies. My Mommy Dearest and I were going to combine cookie plates and stick to making five types each for ten scrumptious options. Believe it or not, that is cutting back on what we have done in the past. However, she informed me that there were certain cookies she couldn't part with and has since upped her five to six plus a pie and cinnamon rolls. Considering she only needs to give plates to three groups of people and Torren and I need to give away NINE plates for all of our work and family-related obligations, I need to up the ante. I have a couple of cookies up my sleeve but I would really like to shake it up this year. Does anyone have any funful options that are not your run-of-the-mill nut or rum ball? I am even more likely to love it if it ISN'T red and green because, well, I just harbor fugly feelings for that color combo.

In the mean time, I thought I would share a recipe for something that was NOT oven-baked or resembled a circle or square. With that, I bring you pudding. I avoided rice pudding like the plague because I assumed it was similar to tapioca (blech, no thank you) but when Torren professed his love for it after meeting him in college, I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to stick my finger in someone else's food. Yes, I am that person. If I love you enough, I will enjoy your dinner off of your plate. Consider it a compliment and move on. I discovered that, I, too could definitely down a bowl of Kozy Shack® (why the cutesy "K?") and have since used up much left over rice thanks to sugar, milk and an extra hour or so on my hands. This version is maple-fied (still have that jug of syrup) and I added nuts and dried fruit because that sounds enchantingly rustic, doesn't it? Did I just hear Martha call?

Maple Rice Pudding

Yield: 8 half-cup servings

INGREDIENTS
1 C uncooked white or brown rice, rinsed
5 C milk I use skim
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla
3/4 cup real maple syrup
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 C almonds, pecans and/or walnuts
1/4 C dried fruit I used cranberries and cherries

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine eggs, vanilla, maple syrup and spices in a small bowl refrigerate until needed.
2. Place rinsed rice in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, barely cover with water and bring to a boil.
3. Immediately add the milk to the rice. Let the milk scald, then reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let the pot simmer on low for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Watch the pot, and stir frequently. If the rice and milk thicken, or if the rice begins to stick, add more milk.
4. Turn up the heat to medium high, and stir the egg mixture into the rice. Continue stirring the rice until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in nuts and dried fruit. can be served both warm and cold.

Nutrition: 287 cal, 4g fat, 107mg sod, 53g carb, 31g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g protein

what's shakin', bacon?

So now that you have digested the turkey and have vowed to avoid poultry for at least a month, why not make room for another farm fresh friend? Bacon has been riding the trendy train for the last couple years or so.  It has made appearances in everything from vodka to chocolate bars to band-aids (yes, Mommy Dearest, I will order these for you). The peanut butter bacon combo has seen a resurgence as a result. I have had it on "Skippy's Dare" pizza, "The King" burger and of course, the Elvis sandwich.  Various cookie, fudge and cupcake recipes have been popping up as well.  I felt that one tasty ingredient lacking, however: maple syrup.  As you know, I have it sitting around my house, but I felt like it was the finishing touch to the cookies (with a few small chocolate bits, naturally) and I beg you to suck it up and test these out.  I could see this working with fakey bacon, too, for all of the veggies.

Peanut Butter Maple Bacon Cookies

Yield: 20-24 cookies

INGREDIENTS
1/2 C reduced fat peanut butter
1/2 C unsalted butter, melted and browned
1/2 C dark brown sugar
1/2 C pure maple syrup
1 egg
1/2 T vanilla
2 C plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
7 pieces maple-flavored bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled
1 oz. bacon drippings
1/4 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. In a large bowl, stir browned butter, bacon drippings, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg and vanilla together with a spoon.  Let sit for a few minutes.
2. Slowly stir in flour and baking soda until just incorporated.
4. Stir in chocolate chips and cooled crumbled bacon. Drop by rounded tablespoon two inches apart on baking sheet (twelve to a sheet). Bake for 7-9 min, remove from oven and let cool on sheet for two minutes before transferring to a drying rack to cool fully.

Nutrition: 170 cal, 9g fat, 119mg sod, 20g carb, 9g sugar, .3g fiber, 3.5g protein

gobble this up

Happy Turkey Day! We began today, the day after "Hors D'oeuvre Day" with this Pumpkin Pear Strudel recipe from Libby's®. This was awesomely easy to make and I had it sitting in my freezer for the past month (unbaked) so I could whip it out at my parentals' without having to slave away in the kitchen and miss fam time. I am so thankful for an amazing first year of marriage, a healthy and recovering Aunt Potty and a forever wondrous family who is always there for me. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and please go savor some pie. In addition to the five pies I mentioned before, we are having a cheddar apple torte courtesy of my brilliantly talented cousin Em and a chocolate mayonnaise cake from Aunt Potty. Cure the turkey lethargy with a slice of sugar high.

put some egg in your noggin

Discussing Christmas in November practically sacrilege in my family, where Thanksgiving rules all holidays. As most people recognize and comment on, Turkey Day is hardly observed in the stores as consumer wares shift from Halloween to Christmas in less than twenty-four hours after trick-or-treating has ceased. Maybe that is why we laud it as the best celebration of the year- we are forever cheering on the underdog or the weirdo around here, from tearing up over the ugliest dog in the kennel to promoting a public display of wearing nightgowns on our heads as a substitute for real hair (long story).

The obsession over making this holiday fully appreciated has turned Thanksgiving into a three day affair at my parentals' house. It began six years ago when they moved away from our extended family and went from hosting a celebration of at least twenty people to five or six. It was inconceivable to them to cut back on any of our usual foods (from hors d'oeuvres through dessert) and they even managed to add more to menu. There was no way that we could stomach eating three rounds in one day (well, we probably could but you would have to roll us out the door on a stretcher) so we made three. The day before Thanksgiving is now dubbed "Hors D'oeuvres Day" (my personal fave) where we are pretty creative and lenient with the options. The day of Thanksgiving is a traditional dinner with all of the usual players: turkey, sweet and mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (blech), five kinds of pie, etc. Day three is "Turkey Sandwich Day" where we consume massive amounts of white bread mayo sandwiches (Mommy Dearest claims that wheat would ruin the effect, can't have an ounce of health, here!) with little slivers of the pie we could barely eat the day before. Thanksgiving is not a holiday, it is an event.

That is why consuming and now baking something with eggnog before the "event of the year" takes place could likely get me ousted from the turkey table. Torren had to have the nog when it hit the shelves, however, and I just couldn't handle having is presence around without giving it a little try. That is where these little nutmegalicious cookies come into play. Hopefully they won't get me banned from the lemon meringue pie (my annual offbeat request) that is calling to me.

Nutmeg Nibbles: Eggnog Cookies

Yield: 18 large cookies or 3 dozen small

INGREDIENTS
1 C brown sugar
3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 t vanilla extract
1 T bourbon, optional
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 C plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1 t ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
3/4 C white chocolate chips
3/4 C of Hershey's© Cinnamon Chips
1/2 C pecan halves, optional

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
1. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla and bourbon; beat at medium speed until smooth.
3. Alternate adding flour mixture and eggnog until just combined.
4. Stir in chips and nuts with a wooden spoon.
5. For large cookies, drop three rounded tablespoons per cookie. Space three inches apart (I fit about eight cookies per sheet) on parchment-lined cookie sheet. For smaller cookies, drop one heaping tablespoon and leave two inches between each cookie. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg and cinnamon. Bake 12-14 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown.

Nutrition (large cookies): 298 cal, 17g fat, 90mg sod, 33g carb, 18g sugar, 2g fiber, 4g protein