Andes Peppermint Cocoa Cookies

Submitted by Alisa Ringger

I’m so glad I tasted these cookies, now I can die happy.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 ½ cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ cup special dark cocoa

2 cups Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350.

-In electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy (about 5 minutes).

-Add the yolks and vanilla extract.

-Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Add sifted flour mixture on low speed slowly to the creamed butter.

-Add the Andes Peppermint Chips. Place round balls (1 tsp.) on lightly greased cookie sheets.

-Bake 10 minutes. Let cool.

---

Chocolate-Peppermint Cake

Submitted by Janene Cook

This is very decadent! Thanks to Martha Stewart's Food everyday Holiday Baking 2007 special collector's edition. I'm not a collector, nor am I a fan of Martha but some of the ideas that come from her staff are really great!

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan

1 Cup all purpose flour, plus more for pan

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

8 oz.semisweet chocolate plus 4 oz. semisweet chocolate for frosting

1 1/4 Cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Whip Cream

crushed candy cane

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour an 8 inch round cake pan.

Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper.

Wisk together flour, salt and baking pwdr.

In a medium saucepan bring two inches of water to a boil.

Place butter and cake chocolate in a large heatproof bowl; set over/ not in water.

Turn off heat; Let stand until melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir to combine.

Remove bowl; cool 5 min.

Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs and buttermilk until combined. Fold in flour mixture until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until cake pulls away from sides and a toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto your serving platter and allow to cool completely.

Make icing by placing 4 oz. semisweet chocolate pieces in a medium bowl.

In a small saucepan , bring 1/2 cup whipping cream to a boil over high heat; stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. Strain cream into chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool until mixture falls in ribbons and then poor over center of cake. Use a knife or spreader to spread to edges of cake and allow to dribble down the edges.

Delicious Chocolate Cake with Toppings

Enrichment Dinner Christmas 2007

Delicious Chocolate Cake with Toppings

Beat together: 1 c. salad oil

1 c. buttermilk (or substitute 1 cup milk plus 1 Tbs lemon juice)

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

Add: 2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

½ c. cocoa

1 T. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

Add: 1 c. boiling water

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 325 for 1 hour or until done. Don’t underbake.

Toppings

1. Make the glaze.

2/3 powdered sugar

1/3 c. cocoa

1-2 T. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix and gradually add 2 Tbsp. of hot water. Add more hot water if needed. (I never follow this exactly, just kind of mix and add until I like the texture.)

2. Before cake comes out of the oven, cut large marshmallows in half so that they make short circles. When the cake comes out, immediately place marshmallow halves (cut-side down) on the cake as close together as possible. Put in warm oven for 1-2 minutes (not longer or topping will be very sticky and hard to cut).

3. Pour/drizzle glaze so that marshmallows are covered as much as possible. Try not to ruin the shape of the marshmallow by letting it swirl in with the glaze.

4. If you like nuts, sprinkle your favorite (I like walnuts) on top before glaze hardens.

---

Molasses Cookies

Submitted by Jan Shipley

This recipe makes perfect looking cookies. I use a baking stone.

Yield 4 doz.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup oil

¼ cup Grandmas original molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. salt
Directions:
* Preheat oven to 375 degrees
* Combine brown sugar, oil, molasses and egg. Beat well (I use kitchen-aid mixer)
* Stir together flour baking soda, cinnamon, ginger cloves and salt
* Gradually blend into molasses mixture.
Roll ball of dough in sugar and place on stone or greased cookie sheet. COOK 10 – 12 min

Summer Kiersey's Christmas Cookies

Submitted by Kelly Jacobson

Ingredients:

(The best sugar cookies ever!)
3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
About 6 cups of flour
Mix. You can refrigerate the dough or use it right away. Roll about ¼ inch thick and cut out with cutters. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes. If they brown they have cooked too long. They should look white when done and have the texture of cake.

Wild Rice Pilaf

Enrichment Christmas Dinner 2007

¼ cup uncooked wild rice

¾ cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)

1 onion, diced

2 Tbs. butter

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

½ tsp poultry seasoning

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 Tbs. parsley flakes

½ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

¼ cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)

Put wild rice in pan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Drain excess water. Set aside.

Saute celery and onions in butter until almost tender. Add rice, garlic, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes more. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add cooked wild rice, parsley and cranberries. Remove from heat; let sit, covered 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Sprinkle with pecans, if desired, just before serving.

Cranberry Chicken

Enrichment Christmas dinner 2007

6-8 boneless chicken breasts

16 oz can whole-berry cranberry sauce

8-oz bottle Catalina, French or Russian salad dressing

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Spray 9x13” baking dish with cooking spray. Place breasts in single layer in pan. Combine cranberry sauce, salad dressing and onion soup mix; mix well. Pour over chicken. Bake at 350F, uncovered, for 1 ½ hours, or until cranberry mixture has formed a glaze on the chicken.

**Variation: try with Apricot Jam instead of Cranberry Sauce