Eggnog Cookies

I decided to try a new recipe for the holidays. So to please my Eggnog Loving family I found this recipes. It's like a soft sugar cookie, only with eggnog flavor. Everyone loved it except for me, but then again, I don't like Eggnog! So if you like Eggnog, you'll probably like this recipe too.





1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
dash of nutmeg
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup eggnog





In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and rum extract. Combine nutmeg, flour, baking soda and salt together; add to creamed mixture alternating with the eggnog and mix well. (If the mixture is too thick you can add a bit more eggnog.) Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten down cookies just a bit. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for a couple of minutes and then move to cooling racks to cool completely and then frost.





FROSTING:





2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup eggnog





Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. If the frosting is too thick add a bit more eggnog or if it is too runny add a bit more sugar. It should be spreadable. Frost the cookies and sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar.

Rolo Turtles

1 small package square shaped pretzels

1 package Rolo candy

1 package pecan halves (toasted), or other nut

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place pretzels individually on to form one layer. Place one Rolo candy on each pretzel. Bake in preheated oven for 4 minutes or until the candies soften. Immediately after removing them from the oven place one pecan half on top of each candy and squish down to flatten out. Cool for 20 minutes and then place uncovered in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set. Transfer to a decorative serving plate.

If you don't like pecans use a different type of nut or push down an M&M on top. I used macadamia nuts.

Peanut Brittle

3 cups sugar
1 ¼ cups corn syrup
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound raw Spanish peanuts (I measure out 4 cups)

In a small bowl, combine the salt, soda and vanilla. Set aside until ready to use. Butter a 17 x 12-inch cookie sheet and set aside on a cooling rack.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved. If sugar crystals form on the side of the pan, wipe them off, or cover with a lid until they dissolve, then remove the lid and continue boiling. Put thermometer in saucepan. Cook to 232°F. Remove thermometer. Stir in the raw peanuts and continue cooking, stirring to keep from burning. Cook until the syrup is a beautiful golden brown, stirring constantly.

Add the butter and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and add the salt, soda, and vanilla mixture. Stir well. (The brittle will foam.) Spread onto buttered cookie sheet.

After the candy begins to cool slightly, use a buttered knife to “score” the candy into squares. After the candy cools completely, invert onto a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper, and break it into the squares you scored earlier. Most will be in squares.

Divinity

4 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
¾ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
3 egg whites, room temperature, stiffly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup broken nuts, if desired

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved. If sugar crystals form on side of pan, wipe them off or cover with lid unto they dissolve then remove the lid and continue boiling. Reduce heat and cook without stirring until temperature reaches 248°F., or firm ball stage.

When candy reaches 240°F., beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry (be certain that the utensils and bowl are grease-free). When candy mixture reaches 248°F., slowly pour it in a fine stream over egg whites, beating constantly with electric mixer, slowly pour it in a fine stream over egg whites, beating constantly with electric mix at medium speed (this is a 2-person job if you’re using a hand mixer; a stand mixer is much easier to use by yourself).

Continue beating until mixture begins to lose its gloss and a small amount dropped from a spoon holds soft peaks. The secret to smooth, velvety divinity is plenty of beating. Take a little taste—when it feels velvety on the tongue and the raw syrup taste is gone, it’s ready.

Mix in the vanilla. You may fold in chopped nuts if desired. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. You may place a nut on top of each candy, if desired.

Makes about 8 dozen pieces.

Tips:

• To make a pastel divinity, add 20 drops of food coloring to the uncooked syrup.
• It is recommended that you test your candy thermometer before use each time. Place in a saucepan with boiling water. Water boils at 212°F., so adjust the temperature in the recipe up or down as required. 

Christmas Root-Deer

Bart made these to take to his home-teaching families. Isn't he great at crafts?

IBC root beer (or other root beer in individual-size bottles)
Brown pipe cleaners
Wiggle eyes
Red and/or black pom-poms
Jingle Bells
Ribbon

Following picture, use a hot glue gun to create reindeer. To make the antlers, we twisted one whole pipe cleaner around the top of each bottle. Then we cut a pipe cleaner into fourths, and used two of these pieces on each side of the whole pipe cleaner that was twisted around the top.

Coconut Scones with Coconut Glaze

4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 cups shredded coconut
3 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups pecans, finely chopped

For the Glaze:
4 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Make the scones: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and shredded coconut in a bowl. Beat in the butter with a mixer on low speed, then raise the speed to high and beat until the mixture is in coarse crumbles.
Whisk the coconut milk, eggs and coconut extract in another bowl, then stir into the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the pecans; do not over mix.

Scoop 2-to-3-inch mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets (a large ice cream scoop works well for this). Sprinkle the tops with sugar and bake until golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: Whisk the coconut milk, coconut and vanilla extracts and 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth, adding more sugar as needed to thicken. Drizzle over the scones while still slightly warm.

Strawberry and Chocolate Oat Scones

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
½ cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
About 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries (or substitute 1/3 dried cranberries or dried cherries)

Heat oven to 400°F.

Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in food processor. Pulse to mix. Add butter pieces and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove mixture from food processor and place in large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

In small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and flour. Mix well.

Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; stir with fork or Danish whisk just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in strawberries. Do not overmix.

Drop dough by ¼ cup portions 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until very light golden brown.

Makes 10 to 12 scones.