I like fruitcake which makes me a bit of a minority. I also like cookies that include some of the fruitcake taste without having to plow through a chunk of fruitcake. This one is perfect as it is fruity and chocolate! Refrigerator cookies are great in that you can prepare them and leave them to cool down while you work on other types of cookies. When your refrigerator cookies are ready, you just slice and back and enjoy. These seem very Christmas-like and look pretty on the cookie plate.
Chocolate Cookie Covered Fruit Circles½ cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 cup mixed candied fruit, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest
1 egg white, beaten
In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, almond, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture until well blended. Set aside 1/3 of dough and place in another mixing bowl. Gently melt the chocolate and mix the melted chocolate into 1/3 of dough. Stir candied fruit and lemon zest into remaining 2/3 dough and form into a 2" thick roll. Refrigerate about 2 hours.
Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll chocolate dough into an 1/8"-thick square. Brush lightly with beaten egg white. Place roll of white dough at one end of the chocolate dough and roll up so that the chocolate dough covers the white dough. The white dough is now the middle of the roll. Refrigerate the double roll about 2 hours.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4" slices with a sharp knife. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for a minute on the baking sheet and remove to wire racks to cool completely. .
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Couldn't resist one more on the subject . . .
Modernity
To be merely modern is to condemn oneself to an ultimate narrowness; just as to spend one's last earthly money on the newest hat is to condemn oneself to the old fashioned. The road of the ancient centuries is strewn with dead moderns.
G. K. Chesterton The Common Man (20th century)
To be merely modern is to condemn oneself to an ultimate narrowness; just as to spend one's last earthly money on the newest hat is to condemn oneself to the old fashioned. The road of the ancient centuries is strewn with dead moderns.
G. K. Chesterton The Common Man (20th century)
Liberalism - wish I'd said that!
Liberalism in religion is the doctrine that there is no positive truth in religion, but that one creed is a good as another, and this is the teaching which is gaining substance and force daily. It is inconsistent with any recognition of any religion, as true. It teaches that all are to be tolerated, for all are matters of opinion.
Cardinal Newman: Billietto Speech on being raised to the Cardinalate. (19th century)
Cardinal Newman: Billietto Speech on being raised to the Cardinalate. (19th century)
Sigh . . .
The worst part of having children in college? Nope, it's not the financial aspect although that is always with us. It is dropping them off at college after they have been home for a break. That was our job, today. My daughter seemed of two minds about it and I know we would love to have her back in the nest but that is another era and she is learning to manage on her own. As we were waving goodbye, one of her friends called out to her, she turned, and that's the last we had of a fond farewell. It does me good to see her involved and with friends. But, my mother's heart misses the tiny child that wouldn't let go of my hand.
Thought ahead today so we came home to the smell of pork cooking away in the crock pot. We treated our daughter to lunch out on the way to school so we didn't want to have another fast food meal this evening. The one reason the pork roast got cited for demise was the fact that I need the freezer space for cookie baking this week!
I feel a bit lazy as I type here and the rice cooker is dealing with the starch, the corn is braising on a back burner, and the pork is almost done . . . all on their own. I do enjoy telling anyone that bothers me right now, "Hey, can't you see I'm cooking dinner? Go away!"
About finished with Christmas shopping. We cut back this year because sending children to college is a gift, too! We did get each one something special and filled out the rest of the gifts with needed items. I'm going to wrap them next week so I don't have to hide them anymore!
Our poor dog was very depressed when only three of us returned home and 'her girl' wasn't in the group. I went out to pick oranges and Chick half heartedly hunted for lizards. No one has told her they have all gone into hibernation for the winter.
Thought ahead today so we came home to the smell of pork cooking away in the crock pot. We treated our daughter to lunch out on the way to school so we didn't want to have another fast food meal this evening. The one reason the pork roast got cited for demise was the fact that I need the freezer space for cookie baking this week!
I feel a bit lazy as I type here and the rice cooker is dealing with the starch, the corn is braising on a back burner, and the pork is almost done . . . all on their own. I do enjoy telling anyone that bothers me right now, "Hey, can't you see I'm cooking dinner? Go away!"
About finished with Christmas shopping. We cut back this year because sending children to college is a gift, too! We did get each one something special and filled out the rest of the gifts with needed items. I'm going to wrap them next week so I don't have to hide them anymore!
Our poor dog was very depressed when only three of us returned home and 'her girl' wasn't in the group. I went out to pick oranges and Chick half heartedly hunted for lizards. No one has told her they have all gone into hibernation for the winter.
Soup in ten minutes . . . or so!
This is my go-to recipe when the day has not gone as scheduled and the pot roast is still a rock in the freezer and people will be demanding food within the hour. It is super-simple and lends itself to your own touches and variations.
Quick Soup
4 20-ounce cans of chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
16 ounces of frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried onion
1/2 teaspoon dried Basil
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
16 ounces dried mini ravioli with cheese filling*
Bring all the ingredients except the ravioli to a boil, add the dried ravioli and simmer according to directions on the package or until tender. Grate some Parmesan or Romano over each bowl and serve. If you have bread/rolls on hand, you will have it made. Salad fixings, too? You are, indeed, the cook to watch!
*You can usually find the packages of dried ravioli in the pasta section of the store. If you have a frozen variety available, that works, too, only adjust the cooking time as it will heat through faster.
Ideas . . .
If you have some leftover chicken or even canned chicken, you can add that to the soup.
Barley is excellent in the soup but you will have to simmer it longer before adding the ravioli.
My family likes rice and the ravioli in their soup.
This also works great with beef broth only use red instead of white wine.
Quick Soup
4 20-ounce cans of chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
16 ounces of frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried onion
1/2 teaspoon dried Basil
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
16 ounces dried mini ravioli with cheese filling*
Bring all the ingredients except the ravioli to a boil, add the dried ravioli and simmer according to directions on the package or until tender. Grate some Parmesan or Romano over each bowl and serve. If you have bread/rolls on hand, you will have it made. Salad fixings, too? You are, indeed, the cook to watch!
*You can usually find the packages of dried ravioli in the pasta section of the store. If you have a frozen variety available, that works, too, only adjust the cooking time as it will heat through faster.
Ideas . . .
If you have some leftover chicken or even canned chicken, you can add that to the soup.
Barley is excellent in the soup but you will have to simmer it longer before adding the ravioli.
My family likes rice and the ravioli in their soup.
This also works great with beef broth only use red instead of white wine.
Pumpkin-Orange Cookies
These cookies do not freeze well but I doubt there will be any left once they exit the oven and land anywhere near hungry family. I like the combination of orange and pumpkin as it perks up the whole tastes and elevates it to a new culinary height. I have had people make fun of me because if I can use orange or lemon zest, it will be included. I do notice, however, that as much as they laugh at me, it is usually through a mouthful of cookie! This is pretty fast and easy recipe and great for an evening with company, a dessert, or just to snack on while you go about your Christmas decorating and other preparation. Coffee perking won't detract from the cookies at all.
Pumpkin-Orange Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and spices. In another bowl, combine butter and sugars, beating until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg, orange zest, and vanilla, mixing well. Add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are very light brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheets to finish cooling on wire racks. Ice with Orange Glaze.
Orange Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh orange juice
Add vanilla and enough orange juice to form a thin icing. Drizzle over cookies and let set before serving.
Pumpkin-Orange Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and spices. In another bowl, combine butter and sugars, beating until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg, orange zest, and vanilla, mixing well. Add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are very light brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheets to finish cooling on wire racks. Ice with Orange Glaze.
Orange Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh orange juice
Add vanilla and enough orange juice to form a thin icing. Drizzle over cookies and let set before serving.
That's the hard part . . .!
Cranberry Muffins
As I've mentioned before, this is my favorite time of year because fresh cranberries are available. What I like about them is you can freeze them and they work just fine straight from the freezer for most any dish. I watch for the sales so I can stretch this treat to the next season they are available. Some people like blueberry muffins. Me, I like the tart tang of cranberries in mine. I think my family is in agreement as I hardly get to eat one before the rest disappear!
Cranberry Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You can either grease the muffin tins or line them with cupcake papers.
Combine all the ingredients except for the cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla. When just moistened and mixed, fold in the remaining items and divide into the 12-place muffin tin. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before removing to a rack to finish cooling. Serve warm, cold, or even the next day . . . if they last that long.
Ideas . . .
No cranberries on hand, you can peel and dice up fresh apple instead.
Fresh blueberries will nicely substitute.
Adding 1/4 cup chopped nuts is good.
Cranberry Muffins
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You can either grease the muffin tins or line them with cupcake papers.
Combine all the ingredients except for the cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla. When just moistened and mixed, fold in the remaining items and divide into the 12-place muffin tin. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before removing to a rack to finish cooling. Serve warm, cold, or even the next day . . . if they last that long.
Ideas . . .
No cranberries on hand, you can peel and dice up fresh apple instead.
Fresh blueberries will nicely substitute.
Adding 1/4 cup chopped nuts is good.
Sunday!
Hail day whereon the One in Three
First formed the earth by sure decree,
The day its Maker rose again,
And vanquished death, and burst our chain.
Roman Breviary, Hymn Primo die quo Trinitas for Sunday at Matins.
(attributed to Pope St. Gregory I, 6th century)
First formed the earth by sure decree,
The day its Maker rose again,
And vanquished death, and burst our chain.
Roman Breviary, Hymn Primo die quo Trinitas for Sunday at Matins.
(attributed to Pope St. Gregory I, 6th century)
Turkey Leftovers . . .
The stuffing was reinvented into dumplings. Combined with the turkey soup, it was sort of like eating a Thanksgiving meal, again, only with a spoon. The mashed potatoes got mixed with some cheese, eggs, seasonings, and baked into little puffs that made a nice compliment to the soup - something a bit crunchy on the side.
Creating meals out of leftovers is right in line with my enjoyment making scrap quilts. I find more it more of a challenge in both hobbies - making a creation out of odds and ends nobody thought they would want.
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