Christmas Recipes

  Christmas is almost here! The tree is up, stockings are hung, presents are wrapped and under the tree, and baking is being done.  If your like most Americans your proably on your way to this image but still scrambling to get either the shopping or baking done.  Well here are a few great recipes to help you out with the baking part! :)

Chocolate Crinkles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 ounces unsweetened bakers chocolate
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (I always add extra--usually between 1/2 to 1 teaspoon extra)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• powdered sugar

Directions:

Put chocolate squares into a bowl and melt in the microwave (make sure to stir frequently to keep chocolate from burning. I also suggest that you melt it on a low to medium power level).  Combine oil sugar and chocolate and mix well.  add in eggs, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. mix. lastly add in the flour and mix well.  Refrigerate dough for approximately two to three hours. After refrigerating the dough pour a good amount of powdered sugar onto a plate.  roll the dough into little balls and then roll them in the powder sugar, giving them  nice coating.  place on a baking sheet and bake (at 350 degrees) for approximately 9 minutes (they should look somewhat done but still seem slightly gooey in the middle.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-crinkles/941e22b3-9a48-4fb1-bdb0-27479e76d484#?st=6&term=chocolate crinkles&fv=AND(HasGridViewImage%3ATrue)&ps=9&pi=9&fv=AND(HasGridViewImage%3ATrue)

Peanut butter blossoms:

Ingredients:

• One bag of Hersheys Kisses
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• granulated sugar

Unwrap (or like me have your sister unwrap) a bag of hershey's kisses and set aside.  Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars.  Add in the egg, vanilla, milk, salt, baking soda, and mix.  Lastly, add in the flour and mix well.   Pour some granulated sugar onto a plate.  Roll the dough into little balls approximately 1 inch in diameter and then roll them in the sugar making sure they get a nice coating. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 6 to 7 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and gently push a kiss into the center of each cookie.  place the tray back into the oven for another 30 seconds to a minute in order to allow the kiss to melt into the cookie.  Take the cookies out of the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before removing them from the sheet.  Now, you can either enjoy a warm and gooey cookie, or you can freeze them inorder to be able to stack them for goody trays.

http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/5191/Peanut%20Butter%20Blossoms.aspx


Frosted Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (I always add extra)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I always add extra)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Cream the butter and powdered sugar.  Add in the egg, vanilla, almond, baking soda, cream of tartar, and mix well.  Add in the flour and mix.  refrigerate dough for approximately 2 hours.  After the dough has been refrigerated lightly flour your counter and rolling pin.  Work the dough until it becomes soft enough to roll.  Sprinkle the dough with flour and roll until it is approximately a pencil width thin.  Cut out the cookies with your favorite holiday cookie cutters.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes.  Freeze until cold and then frost. Frosting recipe follows.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/holiday-cutouts/a1830449-487e-4c7f-882c-48ac06d83a91#?term=sugar cookies, almond extract&st=6&ads=1&ps=9&pi=9&fv=AND(HasGridViewImage%3ATrue)

Frosting!

Ingredients (I don't usually measure so measurements are approximate):

• 1 bag powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup crisco
• 2 table spoons butter
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

cream the crisco, butter, vanilla, and almond together.  Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix.  add milk as needed to thin the frosting.  Mix in your favorite food colorings and make your cookies beautiful!

Recipe: Original recipe was from my neighbor and I changed it some (added more vanilla and almond--I really like vanilla and almond :D)

Picture:
http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/frosting