If
we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
- Mother Teresa
Friday, December 2, 2011
Chocolate-Mint Truffle Cookies
Now I've found my ultimate cookie treat. You can always rely on the Taste of Home publications for great, easy recipes. Try doing a Google Search and find even more of your own favorites or discover new favorites. Had to share this one which will appear on my Christmas cookie plate this year!
Chocolate-Mint Truffle Cookies
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Top-10-Recipes/Top-10-Christmas-Cookies
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 package (4.6 ounces) mint Andes candies, chopped, divided
2 teaspoons shortening, divided
1/2 cup white baking chips
Optional toppings: chopped nuts, sprinkles and crushed candy canes
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Stir in the egg, sugars and extracts. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture and mix well. Fold in 3/4 cup Andes candies.
Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place 2-in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until tops appear slightly dry. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
In a microwave, melt 1 teaspoon shortening and remaining chocolate chips and Andes candies; stir until smooth. Melt white baking chips and remaining shortening in a microwave at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Dip half of the cookies in melted chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Dip remaining cookies in melted baking chip mixture; allow excess to drip off. Place on wax paper. Immediately sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Let stand until set. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.
Chocolate-Mint Truffle Cookies
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Top-10-Recipes/Top-10-Christmas-Cookies
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 package (4.6 ounces) mint Andes candies, chopped, divided
2 teaspoons shortening, divided
1/2 cup white baking chips
Optional toppings: chopped nuts, sprinkles and crushed candy canes
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Stir in the egg, sugars and extracts. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture and mix well. Fold in 3/4 cup Andes candies.
Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place 2-in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until tops appear slightly dry. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
In a microwave, melt 1 teaspoon shortening and remaining chocolate chips and Andes candies; stir until smooth. Melt white baking chips and remaining shortening in a microwave at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Dip half of the cookies in melted chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Dip remaining cookies in melted baking chip mixture; allow excess to drip off. Place on wax paper. Immediately sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Let stand until set. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.
Easy Pasta Salad
There have been a few times when I got very short notice that we were either invited to a pot luck or my husband needed a dish of something for an event at work. Although I do like to fuss, there are times when I just have to do it as quickly and as well as I can with the time I have on hand. Pasta salad always works for me. It is one of those go-to recipes that will evolve from what you have on hand and still please the people who get to enjoy it. This is also a good dish on hand for a quick, light lunch when you are busy.
Easy Pasta Salad
1 pound of pasta, your choice of shape although elbows or shells seem to work best for me.
1 green onion, finely chopped
Your choice of bottled salad dressing.
Cook the pasta in salted water until just tender, don't overcook. Drain and cool. Toss with the green onion and coat lightly with their chosen dressing. Italian is my usual choice but I've had success with some of the creamy dressings, too. It's a matter of taste and what you have on hand.
This is very basic and very good. However, there are always ideas!
Ideas . . .
Toss in a small can of sliced olives.
A tablespoon or two of sweet or dill relish is good.
Some dijon mustard brighten up the salad dressing and taste.
Chopped cilantro gives it a nice flair.
Diced hardboiled egg adds some protein value and taste.
Canned tuna or salmon elevates the dish wonderfully.
Don't forget salt and pepper to taste.
Using the tri-color pasta makes for a pretty salad.
Easy Pasta Salad
1 pound of pasta, your choice of shape although elbows or shells seem to work best for me.
1 green onion, finely chopped
Your choice of bottled salad dressing.
Cook the pasta in salted water until just tender, don't overcook. Drain and cool. Toss with the green onion and coat lightly with their chosen dressing. Italian is my usual choice but I've had success with some of the creamy dressings, too. It's a matter of taste and what you have on hand.
This is very basic and very good. However, there are always ideas!
Ideas . . .
Toss in a small can of sliced olives.
A tablespoon or two of sweet or dill relish is good.
Some dijon mustard brighten up the salad dressing and taste.
Chopped cilantro gives it a nice flair.
Diced hardboiled egg adds some protein value and taste.
Canned tuna or salmon elevates the dish wonderfully.
Don't forget salt and pepper to taste.
Using the tri-color pasta makes for a pretty salad.
Where does all the extra time go . . .?
The 'crazy quilt' aspect of my life has been lacking the last few weeks. My poor quilt sits patiently on my sewing table with just a few stitches to completion . . . and I haven't had time to do so. My quilt in the bedroom requires a minor repair and it, too, joins the first quilt. Let's not discuss the four quilt tops on top of the cupboard!
Time seems to drag when I was little. Everything that I was looking forward to was always ages from happening. These days, it seems like I get out of bed only to hop back into it with but a few minutes in between morning and night. Two things my mother always warned me about when I was growing up: I'm going to wish I could take the naps I dreaded as a child when I grew up and to use my 'empty' moments wisely because I will eventually find I do not have a lot of them. Sigh . . . My children don't believe me, either!
Someone was astonished that I get up so early in the morning. It is a stress reliever to take that extra time to eat breakfast, catch up on correspondence, and think without distraction. Getting up early makes that extra hour my time and doesn't infringe with the responsibilities of the day. The older I get, the shorter the time, and I am trying not to waste a minute of it.
Anyway, no baking or sewing today. After my husband gathers his materials for a painting project next week and I catch up the bills, we are checking out a new craft store. I need yarn to complete a shawl I'm making so this is a good excuse to make the trip!
I baked seventeen kinds of cookies this week and my son said the last kind I baked was best of all of them. I joked that it is sad that I only baked one, good cookie. He grinned and assured me that the other 16 were wonderful preludes to the great one. He is my number one food taster and critic. For some reason, he has a great sense of taste so I rely on him to taste test soups, sauces, and gravies for me. He is always right, too. No, he has no aspirations to go into cooking.
The horrible winds finally stopped. The first night, it was hard to sleep with the wind howling. Last night, the sudden quiet threw me off my sleep! Lots of damage and power outages but we were blessed in our area to just have the noise and inconvenience.
Time seems to drag when I was little. Everything that I was looking forward to was always ages from happening. These days, it seems like I get out of bed only to hop back into it with but a few minutes in between morning and night. Two things my mother always warned me about when I was growing up: I'm going to wish I could take the naps I dreaded as a child when I grew up and to use my 'empty' moments wisely because I will eventually find I do not have a lot of them. Sigh . . . My children don't believe me, either!
Someone was astonished that I get up so early in the morning. It is a stress reliever to take that extra time to eat breakfast, catch up on correspondence, and think without distraction. Getting up early makes that extra hour my time and doesn't infringe with the responsibilities of the day. The older I get, the shorter the time, and I am trying not to waste a minute of it.
Anyway, no baking or sewing today. After my husband gathers his materials for a painting project next week and I catch up the bills, we are checking out a new craft store. I need yarn to complete a shawl I'm making so this is a good excuse to make the trip!
I baked seventeen kinds of cookies this week and my son said the last kind I baked was best of all of them. I joked that it is sad that I only baked one, good cookie. He grinned and assured me that the other 16 were wonderful preludes to the great one. He is my number one food taster and critic. For some reason, he has a great sense of taste so I rely on him to taste test soups, sauces, and gravies for me. He is always right, too. No, he has no aspirations to go into cooking.
The horrible winds finally stopped. The first night, it was hard to sleep with the wind howling. Last night, the sudden quiet threw me off my sleep! Lots of damage and power outages but we were blessed in our area to just have the noise and inconvenience.
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