Haystack Heaven

I love, love, love Haystack Cookies!  My mother-in-law turned me on to them about five years ago, and now every Christmas I must have them.  They are so easy and so delicious. These are truly the perfect cookies to make with kids too, because there is no baking involved.  Here is the simple recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package (6 ounce size) chocolate chips – I prefer milk chocolate
• 1 package (6 ounce size) butterscotch chips
• 1 cup peanuts
• 2 cups chow mein noodles

PREPARATION:

In a double boiler, melt chips. Add peanuts and chow mein noodles. Place by spoonful onto waxed paper.  Let cool and hardened in fridge.  Enjoy!

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Paula Deen Snowflake Cookies

How could you not love Paula Deen?  Sweet, old thing that loves butter and baking.  I would love to spend the week with Paula Deen and let her make me a little more fluffy!  As it is the holiday season and Christmas is almost here, I’m in a baking kind of mood.  I found this video on youtube today showing Ms. Paula making Snowflake Cookies.  I tend to do better when I actually see the video as opposed to just reading the recipe.  Also, I love how this one is super simple.  I’m not a baker, more of a cook.  In fact, I don’t measure and this recipe uses refrigerated sugar cookie dough instead of making from scratch – perfect!!  After all, who doesn’t want to save a little time during the holidays?

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Eric's Snowball Cookies

My husband, Eric, makes the most wonderful cookies.  He is the baker and I’m the cook in the family.  Every Christmas he makes big batches of cookies that my coworkers and family “ohhh and “awwe” over.  One of the very best cookies he makes are his snowball cookies.  This recipe is a little different from most as he likes to add more vanilla and powdered sugar than most.  The result is heavenly!

Snowball cookies are not only easy to make but so tasty!

Eric’s Snowball Cookie Recipe:

1 c. butter
1 c. confectioners sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. walnuts, chopped
Bowl of confectioners sugar for rolling the balls in

• Cream together butter and confectioners sugar. (Eric likes to use our KitchenAid mixer for this)
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Mix well to form cookie dough.
• Place dough in fridge for 1 hour to rest.
• Form into small shaped balls.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 12 to 15 minutes. Check for light brown color after 10 minutes.
• When completely cool roll in confectioners sugar.
• Enjoy!!

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Christmas Cookies

Want to make delicious and pretty Christmas cookies in almost no time flat?  Check out this wonderful video on how to make Christmas cookies in a snap!  I think I’m going to make the chocolate peanut butter ones today.  I like the idea of putting them in a simple decorative tin and giving them out as edible gifts.  Who doesn’t like a pretty cookie, after all?  These would also be perfect for serving around Thanksgiving time!

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Don't wait until the holidays to start planning your annual cookie exchange

(ARA) – ‘Tis the season for delicious treats and festive gatherings. The fun of baking, sharing recipes and getting together for holiday parties, such as a cookie exchange, are what make the season extra special.

Inspired by their more than 40 years of collective baking and entertaining experience, Hershey’s Kitchens Linda Stahl and Betty Crocker Kitchens Kristen Olson will share advice through a weekly blog on FavoriteCookies.com as well as provide recipes, cookie exchange tips and give holiday hosts the chance to share recipes and photos with each other.

For those looking to create the ultimate cookie exchange, Stahl and Olson offer the following tips to turn any party into a sweet success:

* Invite guests at least two weeks in advance and ask each guest to RSVP with the recipe they plan to make to avoid duplicates.

* Ask each guest to bring at least a half dozen cookies for each person attending the party.

* Encourage participants to bring an empty, sealable container to take home goodies, along with copies of their recipe to share. Be sure to have extra bags or containers on hand for guests to transport cookies home.

* Make it personal – showcase the cookies in a decorative arrangement and ask each participant to introduce themselves and explain why they chose their recipe and what ingredients they used.

* Be sure to offer refreshments, such as seasonal beverages, but keep it simple so the cookies are the stars of the show.

* Send guests home with a goodie bag filled with a homemade recipe booklet you’ve created to commemorate your party. Ask for participants’ recipes in advance so you can prepare.

Can’t decide what holiday cookie you should make as the host? Try the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms.

Peanut Butter Blossoms
Makes about three dozen cookies

Ingredients:
36 Hershey’s Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates
1 pouch Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
Granulated sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Stir cookie mix, oil, water, and egg in a medium bowl until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake eight to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

For more recipes, tips and ideas for hosting a cookie exchange, visit www.FavoriteCookies.com.

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Bake up memories with your kids

(NC)—For many parents, the holiday season brings an endless stream of shopping excursions, festive gatherings to plan, and meals to cook. But the holidays are also a great time to embrace new family traditions and create memories with your loved ones that will be fondly recalled for years to come. Baking with kids is one of the best ways to bond with your little ones during the holiday season. Whether they are toddlers or teenagers, kids will enjoy lending an extra hand in measuring, mixing and decorating fun holiday treats. And of course, they’ll enjoy eating and sharing their treats after all the baking fun is over.

Looking for quality time together and a tasty treat? Try the Linzer cookie recipe below.

Linzer Cookies

Raspberry preserves sandwiched between buttery cut-out cookies

Time:

Hands On: 1 hour

Total Time: 3 hours

Servings:

Makes 18 servings (1 cookie each)

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup ground almonds, toasted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pam Baking spray

3/4 cup red raspberry preserves

Confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1 Mix flour, almonds and baking powder in small bowl; set aside.

2 Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; beat until well blended.

3 Divide dough into four equal portions; wrap individually with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

4 Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Place one portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper; roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into round shapes with 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place, 1 inch apart, on prepared baking sheet. Cut three (1/4-inch) circles from half of the cookies using a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining dough.

5 Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or just until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

6 Assemble cookies by spreading 2 teaspoons preserves onto each solid cookie; top with 1 cut-out cookie. Sift confectioners’ sugar over assembled cookies. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: To prevent dough from sticking to your cookie cutter, spray it with Pam Baking.

Additional recipe ideas and more information about Pam Baking can be found online at www.pam.ca.

www.newscanada.com

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Gingerbread Men Cookies

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Good Housekeeping Christmas Cookie Swap Cookbook

I love the idea of “Christmas Cookie Swap” parties.  This seems like the perfect idea to get my sisters and girlfriends together for the holidays to exchange recipes, eat cookies and just have some plain old delicious fun!  I like the idea of asking guests to bring an extra dozen to give to a local shelter.  I’m not sure how practical this idea is but I’m willing to try!

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Candy Cane Christmas Cookies

Today while I was looking around on Youtube for Christmas ideas — yes, it is not even Thanksgiving but I’m already looking forward to Christmas ideas — I found this great video for Candy Cane Christmas Cookies.  The video is a bit amateurish; however, it is simple to follow and I’m excited to try this!

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Build holiday magic by baking with your kids

(NC)—As much as kids love eating up delicious treats during the holidays, there’s something else they love just as much—creating and baking the treats with their own hands. The holidays are a great time for baking in the kitchen with kids, as they can let their imaginations soar and really get into the festive spirit.

“Baking in the kitchen with kids does not have to be intimidating and can be loads of fun, for both adults and kids,” says Trish Magwood, award-winning cookbook author of In My Mother’s Kitchen, and mom of three. “Picking recipes that don’t require baking, like Santa Claus Faces, a holiday version of the beloved Rice Krispies Treats, is often the best way to go, so kids can dig in without any worry or fuss.”

Follow Trish Magwood’s tried and true tips for baking with kids:

• Follow the chef mantra of “mis en place”—Have everything in its place or in simple terms, prepare. Make squares or cookies ahead of time, and once the oven is off and the knives are away, enlist the kids for the fun job of icing and decorating. Put out little bowls of icing, sparkles and candies and relax while they enjoy.

• Kitchen Stools—These are my favourite kitchen essentials because it allows kids to pull up to a counter or kitchen island and pitch in at any time. Kids will feel included, and part of the baking process.

• Equipment—Stock up on multi-purpose, family-friendly baking equipment—trays, easy-to-clean baking supplies, plastic utensils, kids aprons, little bowls, and draw on your kitchen kit for any special baking occasion. Make the fun easy for you too.

• Age appropriate tasks—Gauge tasks and kids ages before assigning jobs. There’s something for everyone in a baking kitchen. Don’t forget fun crafts like card making or box decorating count too.

• Interactive—Get the kids involved and they will learn, take ownership and be proud of their masterpieces. The older ones can plan the menu and write the shopping list while the younger ones can play a game of kitchen hide and seek opening cupboards to see if there is enough sugar or chocolate. Use an interactive, cooking class format, they can even clear and help with the clean up.

Try this fun and interactive recipe with your family and find more fun, holiday recipes like this at www.ricekrispies.ca. More information on Trish Magwood is available at www.trishmagwood.ca or follow her on Twitter @trishmagwood.

Santa Claus Faces

Ingredients:

50 mL (1/4 cup) butter

250 g (1 pkg, about 40) regular marshmallows or 5 cups miniature

2 mL (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract (optional)

1.5 L (6 cups) Rice Krispies cereal

Prepared vanilla frosting

Red cinnamon candies

Miniature marshmallows

Preparation:

1. In a large microwave safe bowl, heat butter and marshmallows at High for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes.

2. Stir in vanilla. Stir in Rice Krispies cereal until well coated. Using lightly buttered spatula, press into buttered 3.5 L (13 x 9″) pan.

3. Allow mixture to cool slightly. Using a round cookie cutter, cut cereal mixture into circles. Decorate with icing and candy as desired. Use a dot of frosting to secure the marshmallows and cinnamon candies.

www.newscanada.com

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