Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies: 12 Days of Cookies 2013

Day 1: Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies
Today is National Cookie Day so I thought it would be perfect starting point for this year's 12 Days of Cookies!  I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website this morning.  Don't forget to check back tomorrow for another recipe.









Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus some for finger tips
• 1/4 teas baking soda
• 1/8 teas salt
• 4 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 chocolate-covered toffee candy bars (1.4 oz each), chopped

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add peanut butter and egg; beat until smooth.  With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture.  Stir in toffee.

Using 1 level tablespoon batter per cookie, drop onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apart; flatten slightly with floured fingertips.  Bake until the edges are golden brown, 16-18 minutes.  Rotating the cookie sheets halfway through.  Transfer cookies immediately to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Momma's Chicken Thyme Soup

I know that I'm partial, but my mom makes the best chicken noodle soup.  It's coziness personified.  So I am pasting this recipe exactly as she sent it to me - hearts and all.  I'll try to sneak a picture the next time she makes it.  Thanks Mom!

Momma's Chicken Thyme Soup: 

In a large pot add:

3 boxes chicken broth (may need to add a 4th if get's to thick next day)
3 large chicken breast, *cook until chicken is just done but not over-done
Remove chicken into covered bowl, put in fridge until needed.

To broth add:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large chopped onions
1/2 of a lb. bag mini carrots
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 large or 4 small bay leaves
1 tablespoon thyme ( I heap mine)

When carrots are nearly done, add:
8-10 small red potatoes or yukon gold potatoes
1/2 large or whole small butternut squash - cut into large chunks.
2 sliced parsnips 
1 cup chopped celery (optional)  
1 cup rotini or penne noodles
Tear chicken into large bite size chunks, add to soup
Simmer till noodles and veggies are tender.

Serve with home made french bread garlic croutons. 

Warm Cinnamon Orange Cider

Recipe from Fresh From Florida Blog

Ingredients: Yield 8 servings

32 ounces apple cider
2 cups orange juice
2 whole cinnamon sticks
4 pieces whole allspice
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:
Heat apple cider, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and allspice to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove allspice and cinnamon sticks. Stir in honey and serve warm.

Hot Cocoa Cookies: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 6: Hot Cocoa Cookies!
The recipe for today is Hot Cocoa Cookies!  I found this brilliant recipe on the Pip & Ebby Blog this morning so I had to share.  How yummy would these be on a snowy evening?  Make up a batch, pour a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter

7 bars (3.5 oz. each) semisweet chocolate –
(Chocolate Note: 12 oz. chopped, 7.5 oz. cut into 1-inch squares & the rest for garnish)

1 ½ cups flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups light brown sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

30 marshmallows

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, melt together:

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

12 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate (bars)

Stir frequently over medium heat until smooth. Let cool for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Using an electric mixer, beat together:

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla at low speed until smooth, 2 minutes. Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture just until blended. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Arrange about 16 balls 2 inches apart on each cookie sheet, flattening slightly. Bake until the tops of the cookies crack, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, snip 8 marshmallows in half crosswise and stick 1 square of chocolate onto each of the cut sides.

Remove the cookie sheets from the oven; gently press a marshmallow half, chocolate side down, into each cookie. Bake until the marshmallows are just softened, about 4 minutes.

Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 5 minutes; grate the remaining chocolate over the hot cookies. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the racks; let cool. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, marshmallows, and chocolate.  Bake each batch on a clean sheet of parchment.

Almond Snowballs: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 5: Almond Snowballs
I found this recipe on Southern Living.  You should always have a little snow at Christmas time.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Parchment paper

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

2. Process almonds in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely ground.

3. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. (Dough will be crumbly.)

4. Combine flour, salt, and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.

5. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

6. Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Roll cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Cinnamon Sugar Pinwheels: 12 Days of Cookies

Day 4: Cinnamon Sugar Pinwheels

This recipe looks super yummy with coffee or cocoa.  I think you could use a pre-made sugar cookie dough for this recipe, but I posted the Sugar Cookie Recipe Real Simple recommends just before this one.  I would probably do a test batch before using the pre-made store bought version for an event.  They can sometimes spread too thin when baking.  What I have done before that works well, is mixed up the sugar cookie dough a day or two ahead of time place it all in a gallon size zip lock bag then store in the fridge.  Enjoy.

Ingredients:
Recipe for Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Mix up a batch of Basic Sugar Cookie Dough, but don't bake.  Divide the basic sugar cookie dough in half (do not substitute slice-and-bake dough). On a floured surface, roll each piece into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle with a mixture of ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Starting from a long side, roll each rectangle into a log. Refrigerate until firm. Slice ¼ inch thick.

Bake at 350° F on parchment-lined baking sheets until just beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe from Real Simple

Ingredients

• 2 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for shaping the cookies
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1  cup  unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
• 3/4  cup  sugar
• 1  large egg
• 1  teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
3. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated (the dough will be stiff). Shape into a disk and (unless otherwise specified in an individual recipe) refrigerate, wrapped, for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. 
4.  Bake the cookies at 350º F on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 1½ inches apart. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. The total times in the recipes include the making of the dough. Do not substitute slice-and-bake dough from the supermarket; the cookies will not hold their shape when baked. 
5. Alternately, make cutout cookies by doing the following: Heat oven to 350° F. On a floured surface, roll out each disk ¼ inch thick. Cut into shapes and place on parchment-lined baking sheets; refrigerate until firm. Sprinkle with decorating sugar, if using, and bake until just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.