The Fun Stuff:
Rustle up that rugelach recipe, share your family’s favorite gingerbread cookies, or let us in on the secret to your perfect candy cane martini. Post your favorite recipe in the comments below. We can’t wait to start testing them out!
The Fine Print:
To be entered for a chance to win a $25 Title Nine Gift Card, submit your cookie recipe and/or cocktail recipe in the comments below. Recipe must be received no later than December 11, 2015 at 11:59pm PST to qualify. Entrant must be a legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) and 21 years or older. Title Nine employees and their families are not eligible. One cookie recipe winner and one cocktail recipe winner will be announced on December 16, 2015. Each winner will receive a $25 Title Nine Gift Card.
Cranberry Salsa
Bag of cranberries
1/4 c onion
1/4 c cilantro
I dash of salt
1/8 c sugar
1/4 c diced green pepper
Jalepenos diced optional
Can of crushed pineapple
Chop up and serve with chips or crackers
Wow. I cant wait to try some of these recipes too! LOL. But here’s mine. A recipe from our Australian family…
Coconut Cookie Truffles
200g Tin of Sweetened Condensed Milk
2Tb cocoa powder (I like a dutch process here)
1/2tsp vanilla
1/4C desiccated coconut
1 packet of Marie Biscuits
Extra coconut for coating
Crush biscuits in a ziplock bag with a hammer or your fist… OR just pulse them up to crumbs in the food processor. In a medium mixing bowl combine the cookie crumbs, cocoa, coconut, vanilla and condensed milk.
Shape into 1Tb balls (or whatever size you like) and roll in coconut to coat.
YUM!
Because really, the name is so fun to say, how can you not make them for the holidays? Even more fun, try pronouncing it after a few cocktails đ
PFEFFERNĂSSE (German Pepper Nut Cookies)
Ingredients:
1â2 cup honey
1â3 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tbsp. butter
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1â2 cup candied lemon peel, finely chopped
1â3 cup almonds, finely ground
3â4 tsp. freshly ground cinnamon
3â4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3â4 tsp. freshly ground cloves
3â4 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
1â2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1-2 tbsp. light rum
Instructions:
Put honey, molasses, and butter into a small pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until hot, 2â3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Add eggs and whisk to combine. Put flour, half the lemon peel, almonds, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamom, and baking powder into a large bowl and stir to combine. Add honey mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined, to form a dough. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly oil your palms with some of the oil. Form dough into 36 balls, each about 1″ wide (the dough will be very sticky, so keep your hands lightly oiled while working). Divide dough balls between baking sheets, keeping them spaced 1″ apart. Bake until slightly cracked on top and just firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, rum, and 5 tsp. hot water to make a smooth glaze. While cookies are still warm, use a pastry brush to coat each one with a layer of glaze. While the surfaces of the cookies are still moist with glaze, garnish each top with pieces of the remaining lemon peel. Set cookies aside to let cool completely. Eat right away or store in an airtight container, layered between sheets of waxed paper, for up to one week.
This is not my recipe but it shouldn’t be ignored this time of year. From SmittenKitchen http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/05/toasted-marshmallow-milkshake/
1 (10-ounce, 283-gram) bag large marshmallows, divided
1/2 cup milk
Seeds scraped from 1/2 a small vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons sour cream, plain yogurt or crème fraÎche
1/4 cup heavy cream beaten to soft peaks with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, for a whipped cream garnish (optional)
Place your glasses in the freezer. Heat your broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it lightly with a nonstick spray. Set aside the number of marshmallows youâll want for garnishes (estimate 1 to 2 per shake) and spread the rest on the tray. Broil, keeping a close watch as the marshmallows will take on color very quickly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until theyâre the color you like. Donât be afraid of a little char; it really enhances the shake. Cool the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes, until marshmallows are no longer warm, then transfer broiled marshmallows to your blender. Blend with milk until as pureed as you can get them, then pause to individually toast marshmallows for garnish over a gas flame or back under your broiler for a moment. This ensures that theyâre warm when they hit the glass. Add vanilla bean or extract, ice cream and sour cream to the marshmallow mix in the blender, and blend until thick and smooth. Pour into chilled glasses, finish with a dollop of whipped cream, if using, and a warm marshmallow. Slurp through a straw; repeat again very soon.
Apple & Cherry Glazed Cookies
Warm spices turn snowy Colorado days into a cozy scene. I first made this cookie on a cold day in November seeking comfort from the cold. The aroma filling our home got everyoneâs attention, now itâs a family favorite.
Makes 2 Dozen Cookies
½ cup of butter flavored shortening
1 1/3 cups of packed brown sugar
1 egg
Âź cup of heavy cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon cloves
ž cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup Honey Crisp apple finely diced
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup of white chocolate chips
Vanilla Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2-4 teaspoons milk
1. Preheat oven to 390° for convection bake oven or 400º for regular bake.
2. Cream the shortening and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. Beat in egg and milk.
4. Combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. In 4 equal portions add to creamed mix.
5. Stir in walnuts, apples and cherries.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonsful 2 inches apart onto an uncoated baking sheet or Silpat. Bake for 10-12 minutes, edges will lightly brown when ready. Remove to cool on wire rack.
For Glaze:
1. Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, salt and 1 teaspoon of milk. Mix on low speed. Add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time till the desired consistency is reached.
2. Drizzle over cookies.
TIP: If you are not cooking at high altitude, use 2 cups of all-purpose flour instead of using bread flour. Remember to use a cold cookie sheet for each batch and place dough in refrigerator in between batches.
Peanut butter chocolate bars that are on the healthier side and provide lots of good protein and complex carbs to fuel winter workouts (but still satisfy those indulgent holiday cravings)!
Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter (warmed)
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (melted)
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
—
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
2 cups oat flour (just blend rolled oats on high in a blender)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
—
1 bag dark chocolate chips (I get 60% bittersweet ghirardelli and I don’t use a whole bag)
2-3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
—
greasing baking dish: 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 x 8 inch square dish with coconut oil.
Combine oat flour, oats, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract.
Fold the blended wet mixture into the dry bowl and stir well until a wet dough forms. It will be thicker than a cake batter, but thinner than a cookie batter.
Spread peanut butter mixture into glass pan, evenly.
In the microwave warm the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Stir until the chips melt (heating repeatedly if needed).
When the chocolate is silky smooth, pour it over top the peanut butter layer.
Bake bars at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until the chocolate edges start to bubble and darken a bit.
Cool bars for at least two hours before serving. For slicing firm bars, cool the bars in the fridge.
Yield: 9-12 bars
Prep Time: 10 mins.
Original recipe: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2015/04/easy-peanut-butter-chocolate-bars.html
Yum. I bet these would be good after a long bike ride!
Christmas Crack
~easy and addictive~
Mix the following in large bowl:
2c M&M’s
2c square pretzels
2c peanuts
2c plain Cheerios
2c rice or corn Chex cereal
Melt 2 bags of white chocolate chips and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well, cool on wax paper. Break into pieces when cool. Enjoy the addiction!
Here’s one of our favorite drinks. Keeps us going through these cold Minnesota winters until summertime.
Add into a small pitcher:
10oz Cranberry juice
splash of Orange juice
1/4cup Vodka
1/4cup Coconut Rum
Mix well and pour over a glass of ice
Enjoy
Here in Alaska we are always looking for ways to use up rhubarb, and also for ways to enjoy long dark nights. With that in mind, here is a gin fizz inspired by a trip to Iceland.
Add to an ice-filled Tom Collins glass:
1 oz gin (Bombay is nice, but aromatics could be fun too)
1 oz rhubarb syrup (recipe follows)
Fill glass with prosecco or sparkling water
2 dashes orange bitters
Stir and enjoy.
Rhubarb syrup recipe
In a large enameled pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1.25 cups chopped rhubarb
Optional flavors:
1/2 vanilla bean, pod split and scraped
Or cinnamon stick
Or 1 cup Thai basil
Let cool, then strain and refrigerate for up to a week or can in glass jars to keep longer.
The jammy jam thumbprint
1.5 cups almond flour
.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
.25 cup coarse lay ground flaxseeds
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 c coconut oil, melted
1/4 c pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 tbsp jam of choice- must be jam, jelly melts! I used a locally produced raspberry jam made here in NM
Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl, combine almond flour, coconut, flaxseeds, baking soda and salt.
To that dry mixture, stir in melted oil, maple syrup and vanilla.
Scoop dough onto a large parchment lined cookie sheet- I used a 1/8 c measuring cup-make an imprint with your thumb or knuckle and fill each dent with jam. Be careful not to overflow the dent with too much jam! Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden. They are truly the jammy jam!