Congratulations Therese!

I drew names from a hat - my favorite technique - and my old mission companion Therese (T-baby) won the pumpkin mix. Of course I picked the one in England and now have to go to the post office and figure out how to send overseas. I do feel sorry for the rest of you and will consider the cd pleas, though I am a scattered mess around here so you never know.

Is anyone making the cookies? I want to hear about it!

VGP #13 Peppermint Molasses Cookies

What? Yes, you read that right. It's nearly impossible to get more Christmasy than peppermint and spice cookies. Maybe that seems a strange combination - it did to me at first. But they compliment each other perfectly and the result is a holiday treat that could easily become a family tradition.

Tips:

- To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.
- To drizzle peppermint icing evenly, use a spoon or fork or something. I put it in a ziploc bag and snipped off one corner like a piping bag, but it kept getting clogged with candy pieces. The I cut the hole bigger and it fell out too fast in globs. Artistique, non? Well, it still tastes delicious.2/3 cup butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candy such as Starlights or candy canes

Peppermint icing (see recipe below)

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 2/3 cup butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat just until dough comes together. Stir in peppermint candy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls or scoop with cookie scoop and place about 2 inches apart on buttered (or parchment-lined) baking sheets.

4. Bake cookies in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 13 minutes. Allow to rest for about 1minute on sheet before moving to a wire cooling rack with spatula. When cool, drizzle with Peppermint Icing.

Peppermint Icing: In a bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 T milk, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, mix in more milk, 1/2 tsp at a time, until thin enough. Stir in 1 T finely crushed hard peppermint candy and 1 to 2 drops red food coloring if desired.

Makes about 3 dozen

Good Bumper Sticker

Saw this on the way home from preschool today. Made me laugh and made me think:

"What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about?"

VGP #12 Yummy Pumpkin Giveaway!

Mmm, pumpkin muffins. Trader Joe's pumpkin muffins. You already know I love them. It's time you did, too. I gave a box to my friend Vanessa who was recently visiting. A week later she sent me this email:

Kari,

So I love, and I mean LOVE, the pumpkin bread mix. I wasn't expecting it to be THAT good. So fluffy, so flavorful, just the right amount of spice. We are headed to Raleigh the second Saturday of December and I have already located the nearest Trader Joe's. There is one right by the temple. I am making a stop.
Thanks again,

Vanessa

You see? I'm not just blowing smoke on this.

So if you live farther than 30 miles from a Trader Joe's put your name & email here and you're in the running for a random giveaway of the gnarliest Pumpkin Mix on the planet. (And another bonus surprise as well - a copy of my "So-Good-I-Amaze-Even-Myself" Christmas mix CD.) Giveaway closes tomorrow at 6pm. So start salivating and good luck!

VGP #11 Chocolate Chewies

I mean, yeah, these are fairly simple chocolate cookies. But they are D-I-V-I-N-E to bite into...and to chew...and to swallow and bite into again. Recently I made these for my friend, who later that night emailed me their praises and asked for the recipe. Then she passed it on to her sister whose whole family loved them and say they make them all the time now. I think you will, too.
The name Florence Manwaring may not mean much to you, but she is famous in the Younce household. Florence was my mom's friend when they were young marrieds in California in the 60's. Florence had 5 kids and made fabulous bread, cookies, rolls and candy constantly, and Mom cleverly obtained many of her recipes, including this one. Later the Manwarings moved to Idaho where Florence and her husband started a candy shop, which is still going strong. Check out Florence's Exquisite Candies...tell her the Younces sent you and thank her for these cookies!

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 T butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together, slowly, either over a double boiler or in the microwave. Remove from heat and add sweetened condensed milk.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Pass it on.

Gettin' Festive - Music

Or, in other words: Christmas, the Soundtrack.

It's hard work finding good new music. It's a little easier to find good new Christmas music because it all comes out at the same time and is usually all in the same section of iTunes or stores. But still a lot of work. After several days of such work my library has grown by 2 cd's and about 10 other songs, all worthwhile.

Christmas Songs - Jars of Clay

I've spent some time trying to find the right description for the hypnotically dreamy sound of this album. My current best is "Echo & the Bunnymen host an informal candlelit dinner for Moby and Enya, and New Order drops by." Just get the album, maybe you'll understand. I like the original songs OK but I really, really dig the fresh, modern but still reverent renditions of O Little Town of Bethlehem, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day and God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen. Perfect for laying on the couch staring at the lights on the tree.

Christmas Offerings - Third Day
For the first time in iTunes I ventured into the Christian rock realm, and I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but they have some awesome Christmas music over there. My favorite was this album with a "neo-Southern rock" sound - I was impressed with the balance they found between keeping it classic but keeping it new. Highly recommended.

Sing: A Christmas EP - Josh Wilson
This is a great little 3-song mini album on iTunes for $2.49. He's got a nice original song, Sing, a fun & peppy Angels We Have Heard on High and an astounding guitar instrumental The First Noel. Get it. I checked out Josh's MySpace page and he names his influences as the Beatles, Ben Folds, David Brandon, Switchfoot, Death Cab for Cutie, Jars of Clay (hmm...see a pattern here?), John Mayer, and Jump Little Children. I like all of those that I've heard of. Josh just might have himself a new fan - I'm definitely going to look into more of his music.

Other than those I got a couple of singles, most of which I included on "Kari's So-Good-I-Amaze-Even-Myself Christmas Mix 2008":

1- Jingle Bell Jamboree -Keb' Mo'

2- Christmastime in the City - Mary Chapin Carpenter

3- Mary Did You Know - Christine Evans

4- Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24 - TransSiberian Orchestra

5- Little Drummer Boy - Josh Groban

6- Joy to the World - Voice Male

7- O, Little Town of Bethlehem - Jars of Clay

8- In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Shawn Colvin

9- Who Comes This Night - James Taylor
10- Song for a Winter's Night - Sarah McLachlan

11- One Toy Soldier - Enya

12- Angels We Have Heard on High - Josh Wilson

13- Oh Holy Night - Relient k

14- Born in Bethlehem - Third Day
15- Silent Night - Aly & AJ

16- I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - MercyMe

17- Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Twisted Sister (That's right! LOVE the little "We're Not Gonna Take It" guitar riff in the middle, just for those of us who would notice...)

And, as usually happens, as soon as I burned a couple copies of the disc I had so many changes I wanted to make that I actually started a new playlist - Christmas 2009. Not that it's not good - trust me, it's good - but there are so many other good songs, too!

The perfect Christmas mix eternally eludes, but it's so fun to try to capture it!

VGP #10 Hazelnut Sacher Brownies

Sachertorte is a famous Austrian cake - it is layers of chocolate sponge cake spread between and on top with apricot jam, then coated with a thick layer of velvety chocolate. Not bad, right? These brownies have a closely-related European flair, with the addition of a hazelnut pastry on the bottom. They are totally sweet, totally rich and unbelievably fabulous! As always, use the best quality chocolate you can. And I bet raspberry jam would be a yummy variation!

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground

3/4 cup apricot preserves

1/2 cup butter

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

1 oz. white chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil and grease it. Set aside.

2. For the crust, in a small bowl beat 1/2 cup soft butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium until combined. Beat in the 3/4 cup flour and ground nuts. Pat mixture into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.

3. In a blender or food processor, cover and blend/process preserves until smooth. Spread pureed preserves over the baked crust and chill for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan cook and stir the 1/2 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate over med-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl beat the egg, egg yolk, granulated sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in the 1/2 cup flour. Carefully spread over chilled preserves layer.

5. Bake in the 350-degree oven for 20 minutes more. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using the foil, lift the brownies out of the pan. Carefully peel the foil from the sides of the brownies. Spread the top with the melted semisweet chocolate. Drizzle white chocolate over semisweet layer. Swirl with a toothpick if desired. Let brownies stand while chocolate sets. Cut into bars. To store: Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

VGP #9 Lemon-Honey Drop Cookies

OK, when Ed saw the name of these cookies he said it sounded like a cough drop. But what could be more appropriate for the first month of winter? Then I made them and we both agreed these do not taste like medicine. The honey is present but subtle, the lemon is bright and cheery. It's like a drop of sunshine borrowed from summer. Lovely with a cuppa.


1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 T butter, softened
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp lemon extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
Cooking spray
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon rind

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat first 3 ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add honey, extract, and egg; beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Combine powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Brush powdered sugar mixture evenly over hot cookies. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tsp rind. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Makes about 2 dozen

Recipe from Cooking Light magazine

VGP #8 Turtle Candies

And speaking of turtles, if you're more of a purest, try these. They couldn't be easier, they look amazing, and taste even better. I'd love to take credit, but these come from my clever and amazing friend Shanna Stratton.

Ingredients:one pretzel + one chocolate caramel (or Rolo) + one pecan half

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with spray or butter. Lay out pretzels on sheet. Place a Rolo candy on each (I use Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered caramels, cut in half.) Heat in oven for 3 to 5 minutes until candy is soft.

2. Press a pecan half into each candy. Allow to cool completely on wax paper (I lightly butter this too.) Impress all your friends and neighbors, or eat them all yourself!

VGP #7 Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Another runner-up in Cook's Country cookie contest, this time from Robin of Evergreen, Colorado. Turtle candies are usually pecans covered in caramel covered in chocolate. Nothing not to like there, so I am always open to variations on the theme, and these cookies are beautiful and delicious. Actually, I understate. There is no way to explain how perfect these cookies are. So read carefully as I try.

This is probably the BEST cookie I have EVER made.

I would save them for last but that would be cruel - you can't live without them that long. You need time to make them at least a few times before Christmas - once to try them, another for goodies to give away because your family snarfed the whole first batch, and at least one more because you're constantly bombarded with requests for more. This is no-doubt, hands-down, going into my rotation of regular cookies.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramel candies
3 T heavy cream

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on med-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment. Whisk egg whites in bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentation again with teaspoon measure. Fill each with 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen (not nearly enough!)

Snapshot

Today, 9:10 am. Ed is sweeping the floor after breakfast.

Hazel: "Dad, can you play with me?"

Ed: "In just a minute - right now I'm doing some work."

Hazel, looking dubious: "But you're not going to work. Do you know what going to work means?"

Ed: "What?"

Hazel: "Going to work means you go to a big building and pass out lots of money!"

VGP #6 Peppermint Crunch Bark

Last year my friend Kristin Taylor gave me a gorgeous square box full of this bark for Christmas. Her mother-in-law works for the Pottery Barn family of stores so I was SURE she got a box from Williams-Sonoma and divided it among friends. No complaints here, so I thanked her profusely only to discover she MADE it herself! It was amazing, and this year she gave me - and you - the recipe, with her own tips and adjustments. Then she cursed me for asking for it because then it made her want to make and eat it. So sorry, Kristin.

10 oz. good quality white chocolate (such as Lindt, Ghiradelli or Baker's), finely chopped
30 red-and-white striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed (about 6 oz.)*
8 oz. good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 T whipping cream
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1. Turn large baking sheet bottom-side-up. Cover securely with foil. Mark a 9x12-inch rectangle on foil. Stir semisweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Pour onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110 degrees (chocolate will feel warm to touch.) Remove from over water. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour white chocolate mixture in long lines over dark chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread white chocolate in even layer. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

3. Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges and EAT THEM! Cut bark into fancy squares or triangles or (my preferred method) break into random pieces. Store chilled in airtight container up to 2 weeks. Just lovely!

Makes 1 serving if you're me

*Tip: To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.

Fine Art

Thank you for the inquiries - ok, inquiry - regarding the art over our mantel. My sister Tona complained she couldn't see it properly in the stocking pictures yesterday.
When Tona was here over the summer, right after we had moved in, I asked her what she thought we should hang there. She had the brilliant suggestion of three square frames, which we found at IKEA. We considered different things to put in them - nature photos, funky fabric, and various art. In the end, what could be better than your own art? Or, even better, your children's.

So the next few times Hazel and Ginger were at my Mom's, they joined her in the art studio, got big squares of really nice watercolor paper, their own water bowls, paints and brushes, and went to work.

Ginger did this one:

And Hazel painted these:

Hazel likes very much to tell visitors they painted them. I think they make our living room better than it could ever be with anything else in that space. And I love to sit in that room by myself, when the house is quiet, and stare at the paintings. At different times and in different light, I see things in them and imagine stories they tell. Then I think of my daughters - smart, strong, beautiful, unique - and I get warm and tingly all over, like magic.

There's no finer art on earth.

VGP #5 Chocolate Peanut Blow-Out Cookies

I have died and gone to chocolate peanut heaven. And you can, too. You know anything with this going on is gonna be special:
I've done pretty well with my diet amongst all this baking - a few tastes of dough, one or two cookies, then freeze or give the rest away. Yeah, but I really struggled with these. I had to call Ed at work and have him talk me through it while they cooked. Honestly! I just wanted to eat all the dough! And then all the cookies!

These are soooo yummy and comforting. They are Christmas Eve cookies, feel-better-on-a-bad-day cookies, impress-the-church-potluck-or-school-bake-sale cookies, make-your-kids-seriously-smile cookies, and definitely must-put-on-holiday-goody-plate cookies. Anyone you share these with will beg - BEG! - for the recipe (between stuffing their mouths with them!) And they're never better than ooey gooey hot right out of the oven.

Come to Momma.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts
3/4 cup coarsely chopped bite-size chocolate-covered peanut butter cups (about 15)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add the sugars, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides.

2. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour a little at a time. With wooden spoon, stir in chocolate pieces, peanuts, and chopped peanut butter cups.

3. Drop dough by generously rounded teaspoons (or cookie scoop) 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 dozen.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens 100 Best Cookies

It's Gettin', It's Gettin', It's Gettin' Kinda Festive

I know, HORRIBLE! But that stupid title has been in my head since I hung the first stocking so it stays. December 1 was a pretty fun day around here. I got out the Christmas bins.

Up went the stockings, on the new snowflake hooks from Target (so fun to have a real mantle!)

Up went the AMAZING huge advent calendar handmade by craft-master Kat. The woman has 3 kids under 3, including a newborn, and she whipped this sucker out and mailed it to me in time for December! She even emailed me sample fonts for the numbers for me to choose from. After knowing her for 9 years she still continues to amaze and astound. Tiny ornaments to fill the pockets three times over furnished by Mom.Out came the Little People Nativity Set, which was a month-long obsession for the girls last year, and is equally popular so far this year. The day it came out they played with it non-stop all morning, all afternoon, all evening. And they have played with it every day since. The rule is the pieces have to stay on the coffee table in the living room, this in the hopes of having as many pieces at the end of the month as at the beginning. So far, so good.I love watching them play out the nativity story (and related scenarios) over and over. When they can hold the players in their hands - Mary, Jospeh, animals, angel, kings and of course baby Jesus - the story becomes real at their level. And since it's not just a story, it really did happen, it offers constant opportunities to teach, testify, and explain the importance and mission of Jesus Christ in a way that is understandable and accessible to even our little girls. It keeps Christ literally in the center of our home. I recommend it to everyone.

Out came our other nativity sets as well, though I really need to get some nice pieces of velvet or gold fabric or something to put them on. And it's hard to find places to put them where they are out of kids' reach but still visible.

In November our ward had an Enrichment meeting on inexpensive holiday decorating. Much of it was just beyond me creatively, but I did take note of a few things, including the concept of "tablescape." The next week I braved the jumble and crowds at half-empty Linens N Things and got myself a set of disco-sparkle chargers (at 40% off; much like this stock photo), and later at the thrift store a couple of black iron candle sticks. Since we are having Christmas at home for the first time, and my parents are coming over, it's kind of nice to have something to plan for.

Our first mailed gifts arrived today, from Tona via Amazon, a sure sign we need to get our tree. The plan is to go next Monday for Family Home Evening. A woman on our neighborhood listserv emailed a plug for getting them at her church so we will probably go there.

Of course the holiday music is on nonstop around here as well; the girls' favorite is Jingle Bells. I haven't gotten any new Christmas cd's this year but will still go about making a newish mix.

Our Christmas card photos have been ordered. I was going to just do a card and photo this year but Ed really wants a letter included. I admit I love getting other people's letters telling about their family and lives, but for some reason I'm totally uninspired this year on writing our own. Just don't know what to say.

How are you Gettin' Festive?

VGP #4 Raspberry Almond Cookies

Bridget of Manly, Iowa, came in as a Cook's Country cookie runner-up with this traditional recipe from her mother-in-law. My favorite jam is seedless black raspberry so that's what I use for the glue. And, since I had it, I rolled the edges in Penzey's vanilla sugar - such a sweet treat and very pretty!2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups slivered almonds (or 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds)
1 cup sugar, divided
16 T (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Process 1 cup flour and almonds in food processor until finely ground. Add 1/2 cup sugar and remaining flour and process until combined. Add butter and vanilla to food processor and pulse until dough forms.

2. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies, gathering and rerolling dough as necessary. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until light brown around edges, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack.

3. Transfer remaining sugar to bowl. Working quickly, spread 1 tsp jam on bottom half of warm cookies, then press remaining cookies onto jam to form sandwiches. Roll cookies in sugar to coat. Cool completely on wire rack.

VGP #3 Brownie Waffle Cookies

These clever treats are for my friend Christy, whose oven is broken and who has been using alternative cooking methods lately, like the grill and crockpot. She even tried grilling cookies, but they didn't turn out so well. So let's try the waffle iron, shall we? These are simple, chocolatey, and pretty darn fun to make. Plus they look cool. Unfortunately Christy is allergic to pecans but any nut will work, or you could try them without.

1/3 cup shortening
1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened chocolate
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans, divided

1. Preheat waffle iron. Combine shortening and chocolate in a heavy saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted; cool. Combine egg, sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl. Stir in chocolate mixture.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture. Add 2/3 cup pecans, stirring well.

3. Lightly spray waffle iron. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls onto iron, at least 2 inches apart. (I have a Belgian waffle iron with 4 squares so I just did one in the middle of each.) Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Close iron and bake about 3 minutes or until done. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen.
Recipe from Chocolate Fantasies by Oxmoor House

VGP #2 Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels

These lovely chill-and-slice cookies are slightly time intensive, with the double chill, so just plan ahead. They are worth it, though. The bright, tart cranberry is perfectly complimented by the sweet orange butter cookie. Totally festive, too.

Got this one from Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Cookies magazine, which also included this helpful hint regarding slice-and-bake cookies like these: "To prevent rolled dough from becoming lopsided, cut in half if longer than 8 inches. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and twist ends to seal. Place wrapped rolls in tall drinking glasses. Lay the glasses on their sides while chilling in the fridge. When you slice, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife in a sawing motion and rotate the dough roll frequently to avoid flattening one side." I tried it, it works.

1 cup cranberries
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel
3 cups all purpose flour

1. For filling, in a blender or food processor combine cranberries, pecans and brown sugar. Cover and blend or process until cranberries and nuts are finely chopped; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and orange peel until combined. Add flour and mix in. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

3. Roll half of dough between pieces of waxed paper into a 10-inch square. Spread half of the filling over dough square to within 1/2 inch of edges; roll up dough. Moisten edges; pinch to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 24 hours. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

4. Preheat oven to 375. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices; place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack; cool. Makes about 60.

VGP #1 Hazelnut Chewies

Welcome to Day 1 of your Virtual Goody Plate! (And Happy 16th Birthday to my oldest nephew Thompson!)

Every issue, Cook's Country magazine (which I LOVE) has a recipe contest and publishes the $1,000 first place winner and four runners up. The most recent (Dec/Jan) issue's contest was cookies, and while I was not at all tempted by the winner - "Fudgy Peanut Butter Mousse Cups" - all four runners up looked awesome.

The first one I tried was "Hazelnut Chewies" from Jennifer in Tucson, Arizona. The original recipe called for 1 tsp espresso powder so I substituted cocoa powder. Also, Jennifer must have a very sweet sweet tooth, because I found the final roll in powdered sugar overkill. I mean, they already have a whole freaking jar of Nutella in there. So while the white is pretty, I think it's optional, and they taste just as good or better without. This is a cookie for someone in the mood to enjoy the process - there's a little more toasting, chopping, chilling and rolling than more straightforward drop cookie recipes. But it's great for a rainy day and they are totally delish. Plus they ode to my firstborn.

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups Nutella spread (a 13 oz. jar)
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant espresso powder (or cocoa)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped fine
1 cup powdered sugar, optional

1. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on med-high speed, beat Nutella, butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, espresso (cocoa), and eggs and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and milk, and mix until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup hazelnuts and refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375. Place remaining hazelnuts in bowl. Add powdered sugar to another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in hazelnuts, then roll in powdered sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

(With)

(Without)

Your Virtual Goody Plate

Last year December was an awesome month on the blog. I held a series of posts and discussions called "Making Christmas." We covered Christmas music, decorations, cards, gifts, traditions, events, books and movies. It was awesome - you guys are awesome. If you missed it, go back and check it out. It really made the season more special and meaningful to me.

So I wondered - What could I do blogwise this year to set the month apart? I wanted to reach out and give all my friends far away a big hug. Or bake you a plate of cookies.

That's it!

Yes, I'll make you all a plate of goodies. The hugest, most massive month-long virtual goody plate ever. In fact, I have been baking it for months in order to get pictures and tastes and comments to share. Inspired by the success of Slow Cooker Week and my insatiable love of baking and blogging, there will be a new Virtual Goody Plate (VGP) recipe here every single day for the month of December. I have most of them lined up but there are still a few open slots so if you have a holiday treat winner we can't live without email it to me. It's not like I hold a monopoly on good recipes - far from it. It has to be a cookie/square/bar/ball or otherwise belonging on a goody plate for the most part.

I'll tell you now, there will be a lot of chocolate. And a few surprises. It has been fantastic having an excuse to try so many recipes. A lot will have pictures but not all of them. When I came up with the idea a few months ago I figured out that I'd have to make 2 goodies a week to get 31 pictures, and that just didn't happen. But I am making an effort, so thanks to Mom & Dad and all my local friends who graciously received goodies all fall.

After all, I'm on a diet.

I leave you with this quote from food writer Elizabeth Wood in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, December 1955:

"Yes, there is a Mrs. Claus. She's YOU - busy making visions of sugarplums come true. No gift is more welcome than goodies from your own kitchen."

See you tomorrow!