Christmas 2018

My daughter and I were able to make a Gingerbread House this year.  It's not always easy to find the time during a busy holiday season, but we did and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  

As you can see we love white.  We love that winter wonderland feeling.  

Gingerbread House 2016

Holiday time is a joyous time.  As traditions go, my daughter and I try to make a gingerbread house every year.  We are not always able to with our busy schedules, but we try.  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL.  GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

Southern White Chocolate Pecan Shortbreads

A buttery, pecan-shortbread crust with a thin layer of white chocolate and toasted pecans.  This is as Southern as it gets. This cookie has pronounced toasted pecan taste, it really comes through.  You have to be a pecan lover to enjoy these.  Perfect with coffee or tea.  These are great for holiday gift giving to place in tins.  They travel very well.

Southern White Chocolate Pecan Shortbread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease 9 x 13 pan

Shortbread
2 cups all purpose flour
pinch salt
2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg room temperature
1/2 cup, chopped, toasted pecans

Topping:
1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
1/2 cup, chopped, toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast your pecans on a skillet for a few minutes, be careful to stir nuts with a wooden spoon so they do not burn, but acquire that toasted nut taste.

Grease 9 x 13 pan.  Set aside. 

In mixer cream butter with sugar until fluffy and creamy for about 5 minutes.  Add egg and continue to beat well.  Combine flour and pinch salt.  Slowly add flour to creamed butter mixture to combine ingredients well.  Add nuts and continue to beat for a few seconds more, to mix well. 

Pop shortbread mixture into fridge for 15 minutes for easy handling.  Place shortbread mixture on pan and wet hands slightly and press evenly onto pan.  It should be enough batter to go to sides.  Flatten and even out dough.  Place in oven for 25 minutes.  Remove and place chocolate directly on top of hot shortbread.  When chocolate begins to melt, smear with an offset spatula and spread chocolate evenly.  Add remaining toasted pecans to topping by sprinkling them on evenly. 

Place shortbread in fridge until chocolate is firm.  Remove from fridge and let shortbread come back to room temperature to cut shortbread.  They are a little difficult to cut.  They will be slightly firm, but I use a sharp small paring knife and I use a fork to lift cookie out.  It is so well worth it though.  They are simple and delicious.

Buttery Shortbread Bites

These cookies are absolutely delicious.  This is a family favorite.  It is a simple, basic shortbread recipe.  The nonpareils make them festive and give a delightful crunch.  Enjoy!

Buttery Shortbread Bites
by Mama
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Cookie Sheet lined with silpat or parchment

Ingredients:
2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
pinch salt
4 T. colored nonpareils

Cream butter with sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.  Add extract continue beating.  In a bowl mix flour and salt.  Slowly add flour mixture into butter mixture.  Make sure it is all mixed well, scraping bottom of bowl.  Add the nonpareils.  Mix well.

Take a grapefruit size of dough.  Flatten out to a square disc about 3/4 inch high and about 4x4 square.  Use your hands to make sides of dough even and have a sharp edge.  Using a sharp chefs knife cut the cookies into 3/4" x 3/4" squares.  Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown on bottom of cookie.  Place on cooling rack.

I make these days in advance when having a party, etc....They get better with age.

Red Velvet Kris Krinkle Kookies

 These cookies are perfect for the Christmas Holiday.  They are so festive with the red and white colors.  They will look glorious in your cookie tins for gift giving.  Enjoy this magical month with the smell  of home baked goods filling your home.  I love the smells of the Christmas Season.  

My fondest memories are of my Mama baking and cooking during the holidays.  I remember standing by her at the stove top eager to learn and taste.  It was the happiest time for me, and I love doing the same for my daughter, Athena.  So put on the holiday music, pour yourself a wonderful glass of wine, and take out the pots and pans.  I love dancing, drinking, laughing and cooking at the stove with my family!  I have a super, small kitchen, but some how everyone congregates there.  It is a wonderful time and it makes me completely happy!

Red Velvet Kris Krinkle Kookies

Yield: 2 dozen cookies 

2 cookie sheets lined with parchment

preheat oven to 350 degrees                                                                 

Wet ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
4 Tablespoons milk (room temperature)plus one teaspoon white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring

Dry Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Place in a bowl and set aside:

1 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat in milk plus vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring. 
3. Sift together all dry ingredients except for confectioner's sugar.  Add to butter mixture and beat on low until just combined. The dough should be very soft and a little sticky. Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour, this will make it easier to form into balls. 
4. I dip my fingers in powder sugar that I have placed in bowl and take a golf size ball of dough into my hands and roll into a round ball.  Roll cookie dough into powder sugar and cover very well.  The better it is covered with powder sugar the more prominent the crinkles will show.
5. Place dough balls on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fingers, place about 3 inches apart.  These cookies will expand, so make sure they have room on cookie sheet, I usually do about 6 to 8 cookies per sheet. 
6. Bake until cookies are puffy and cracked on top about 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Cookies will be soft and delicious!

These cookies would look spectacular in a white tin with a big fat red ribbon!