25 days of cookies {Cookie 21}: Jam Thumbprints

This recipe is from Ina Garten.  Don't you love her?  I want to make just about everything she cooks.  To tell you the truth, I never have cared for these kinds of cookies, the jelly in the middle types, to be exact.  But I thought, if Ina thinks they are delicious, they must be.  And they really are.  The dough isn't too sweet and the combination of the toasted coconut and jam is tasty.  Graham and Asher both had a doctors' appointments today, and we brought a couple plates in to the office.  I hope 2 smiling boys delivering cookies added some Christmas cheer to their day.

The finished product.  Yummy and pretty.

You make the dough and then chill it for 30 minutes.

Roll into balls, dip in egg, then coconut.  Make a "thumbprint" and add jelly.

Bake until they look like this.

Look at that cute blonde in the background, just waiting for his cookie.

Here is the link to the recipe.

25 days of cookies {Cookie #20}: Butter Pecan Turtle Bars

These are another one of my favorites.  They are a great dessert to bring to a party.  I also like that they are made with ingredients I normally have in my pantry, so no having to run to the store to make these bars.  Today we had the privilege to bring these to a friends' mother who lives in a senior high rise here in Fort Worth.  I so wanted to move in... meals served in the dining hall, people sitting around doing puzzles, beautiful holiday decorations, gorgeous views of Fort Worth.  It seemed like college life, but with no homework.  And to top it off, we made it in and out without breaking a single thing.  There were breakables everywhere within their little reaches, and Cry Cry was behaving like the Tasmanian Devil.  We escaped calamity, went to the zoo, made them tired, and now naps... whew!

Yum!

Before pouring on the caramel layer.

My helper making the caramel layer.

Right before baking.

Adding the chocolate chips.

In the lobby ready to make our delivery.  This was just before Nathan decided he was going to try his mother's patience.  Can you see that gleam in his eye?

Isn't she a beautiful lady?  Thanks for letting us stop by!

Butter Pecan Turtle Bars

from the Colorado Cookbook

Crust

2 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Caramel Layer

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix flour, brown sugar and butter in small bowl and press in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Place pecan halves evenly over crust.  Put remaining brown sugar and butter in pan and bring to a boil for 1 minute, then pour over crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18 -20 minutes or until caramel layer bubbly and crust is light brown.  Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the dessert.  Let cool before serving.

25 days of cookies {Cookie #19}: Candy Cane Cookies

These are my brother's favorite.  My grandma used to tell us to eat them slowly because they were so tedious to make.  My mom made these with Samuel yesterday while Chris and I escaped for a quiet night away at a hotel here in Fort Worth.  I am returning from 24 hours filled with silence and non-kid friendly places.  I watched tv in bed this morning, spent some time writing our Christmas letter, checked out of the hotel and then enjoyed lunch with Chris.  It was a great Christmas present, Mom & Dad.  Thanks for keeping the kids so we could enjoy some time away!  And for making my cookies for today.

This is the favorite part of being the helper.

Twisting the red and white together.

Anticipation.

The finished product.

Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp almond flavoring

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red food coloring

Mix together butter and powdered sugar.  Add egg, almond flavoring and vanilla.  Add flour and salt.  Divide dough in half and put red food coloring in one of the halves.  Take 1 tsp dough of each color and roll on counter until about 4 inches long.  Then put the two colors side by side and twist them together.  Shape them like a candy cane.  Bake at 375 for 9 minutes or until lightly brown.  Dust with powdered sugar.

25 days of cookies {Cookie #18}: Cake Balls

I have heard of these through her website, but I have never attempted any of the fancy things she makes.  My friend told me about these and they sounded easy enough.  In my personal opinion, their cuteness outweighs their taste.  Next time, I may try it with homemade cake and frosting and see if I like it a little better.  Since this was more of an experiment, I didn't go to all the trouble.  I could see how you could get very creative with these, changing up the kinds of frosting, cake and sprinkle types.  They really could be made for any holiday.  I am sure bakerella's website has tons of ideas.

This is how I made mine.

I have one of these scoops from pampered chef and love it.

Cake Balls

Bake a cake from a box mix according to the directions.  

Mix the warm cake with a container of frosting in the mixer.  Roll into balls.

Put in the freezer until hard enough so they don't crumble when you dip them in almond bark.

Melt almond bark in microwave.  Dip the balls in with a toothpick.  Sprinkle them with whatever you desire.  Put on wax paper to dry.

Samuel and my mom may have the same love language.  Quality time and putting stamps on newsletters.

Asher playing 'Jingle Bells' at his piano open house.

25 days of cookies {Cookie #17}: Sugar Cookies

Thanks to the arriving of Grandma and Grandpa last night, I had nothing to do with these particular cookies.  These are marvelous, one of my favorites growing up.  Now I know why.  Lots of oil and butter.  Go hard or go home.  That's my Christmas cookie motto.  These are yummy classics all year round.  Try them!

Happy to have Grandma to make cookies with.

Normally you just roll them in sugar, but we added fun sprinkles for some Christmas flare.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

4 cups flour

Cream sugars and butter.  Add oil, vanilla and eggs.  Add dry ingredients.  Roll into balls and dip in sugar.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

This child woke up at 5:15 AM, screaming.  When I went in and asked him what was wrong, he looked at me and said, "I want Papa."  I told him Papa was sleeping.  He said, "okay."  That was that.

He is very attached to his Papa.

He really can't get enough of him.

It's sweet.

25 days of cookies {Cookie #16}: Neopolitan Cookies

These are also from this cookbook.  As a side note, this cookbook is filled with other great recipes as well.  I've never made these before and I will definitely make them again.  The almond flavor gives them a unique taste.  They are supposed to be made with a pink layer, but I chose green to make it more holiday-ish.

Happy helper.

The 3 layers... one with almond flavoring, one with walnuts, and one chocolate.

Press each layer into a bread pan.

Chill 4 hours.  Take out of bread pan.

Slice thin.

And here's what you get.

Neopolitan Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

5 drops green food coloring

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.  Slowly add flour baking powder and salt.  Divide dough into 3 portions.  Stir almond extract and food coloring into one dough portion.  Stir the walnuts into the second portion.  Stir the melted chocolate into the third portion.  Line a bread pan with wax paper.  Press the green dough, then the white dough, then the chocolate dough.  Put in refrigerator for 4 hours or until dough is ready to slice.  Cut in half lengthwise.  Slice thinly and put on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Grandma & Grandpa arrived tonight so I officially have help with these last days of cookie making.  Whew!  My mom is making cookies with Graham right now.  Thanks Mom!

25 days of cookies {Cookie 15}: Grasshopper Bars

These are good.  Really good.  They even look Christmasy with the minty layer and all.  I realize that I should have taken pictures as I went along, but I forgot.  Call it a "this is my 15th recipe in 15 days" slip.  I'm very sorry.  It's not a difficult recipe, but there are 3 layers and you have to let other layers cool before you add other layers.  But it is worth it.

Trust me.  These are worth making those 3 layers.

And with a cute little helper like this... (I told him to look serious).

I'd say you have to eat at least 2.

Grasshopper Bars (found in this cookbook)

4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 cup butter softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine chocolate, butter, eggs, and vanilla.  Add flour and pecans.  Spread in 9x13 greased pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes or until center is set.  Cool brownies.

4 tablespoons butter softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp peppermint flavoring

4 drops green food coloring

2 tablespoons milk

Beat all the ingredients together, adding milk to make the mixture spreadable.  Spread on cooled brownie layer.  Put in refrigerator to set for one hour.

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt on low in a saucepan.  Spread over cooled mint layer and let stand for one hour.  Makes 36 bars.  I just keep mine in the refrigerator because I think they are yummy this way, but whatever suits your fancy.

If any of this is confusing, let me know in the comments and I will clarify.  I am typing as Nathan is on top of his high chair tray waiting for me to get him.  Gotta run.