Day 9 – Cookie Recipes …
Christmas No-Baking …
As promised yesterday, here is Michaela’s recipe for the no-bake Almond Balls:
- 3 cups ground almonds (almond flour)
- 5 tablespoons of stevia/erythritol 1:8 (or use sugar or other sweetener to taste)
- 5-8 tablespoons of water – start with 5, and depending on the almonds-sugar mixture, add more to get a kneadable mixture that doesn’t crumble. (If it gets too soft, just add more almonds back in.)
- Optional:
5-10 drops of almond flavour
She also adds 5-10 drops of cherry or maple or apple flavour in combination with the almond.
“Foodie flavour” is a good brand with loads of options. - Optional:
Coat them with melted chocolate
Simply mix and knead everything together and form little balls, cubes, hearts, hexagons … whatever you wish 😉 They last for a long time and can be stored at room temperature, or you could also freeze them.
If you use a little more water the mixture gets softer, and that way you could use it as a filling or topping for cakes too.
We love snack ideas that are healthy (or at least healthy-ish), especially when they actually taste good. If any of you will try them, let us know what you think!
If you have any good Christmas baking recipes to share … please do so in the comments! Even better if they err on the healthier side 🙂 We will try and pick one or two to make for another Livestream.
Mona & Lisa
I’ve also made this recipe for my friend who can’t eat gluten and made for myself …tasty …..
Don’t worry if you can’t find Clubhouse brand…. just use brands available to you in your area and just follow/tweak the recipe with whatever brand of ingredients available to you…. it’s the recipe itself…. I make these brownies often now… of course, I do a Nutfree version
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmglno
These are tasty as well… a friend who has a Gluten issue makes this recipe and I’ve tried it….tasty stuff …
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmgln8
Here’s a link for a marshmallow /marshino cherry squares recipe…..whenever in the past Xmases /New Years spending the day with my Aunt/Uncle/cousins out on the farms, or at our house…as we had alternated whom listed each holiday each year fir many years…. some cousin would whip up this awesome marshmallow square treat …. I loved the squares …
Here’s a link to an online recipe for them as I don’t know exactly where my cousins got the recipe from years ago before internet existed:
https://emeraldowl.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/very-cherry-marshmallows-%E2%99%A5/
Definitely will /would like to try a few of these recipes out but I’ll have to tweak in some wheres there’s nuts or some other allergen involved to make and I can eat safely ….
My Bad …. I had failed to make an important fact in my Grandma Rea ‘s SOFT Ginger Cookies …Yes…They’re supposed to be **SOFT** …lol… and to keep them SOFT in cookie tin/airtight container, use a piece of bread, or the terracotta shaped thingy which you use to keep brown sugar soft …. I Sincerely Apologize for forgetting to state this important fact in the cookie recipe … I hope if anyone tries my recipes, please let me know the outcome …. Also, Grandma Rea’s Shortbread Cookie Recipe…. That’s what she wrote for the recipe….lol…I can come close to the outcome of her SOFT Ginger cookies recipe that it immediately makes me smile at the happy memories and yummy taste of them….mind you , I cannot exactly duplicate her outcome but damn, I’m close enough … Thankyou Grandma fir giving me the recipe a long time ago before had passed…. I’ve had family ask me from Mom’s side if I had the recipe to share ….
I used to make more traditional marzipan balls using ground almonds, icing sugar, drop of almond essence and egg yolk. These were great to have while on long distance cycle rides – just pop them in as you go and have protein and carbs in one delicious snack. Can become sticky when wet!
Eating healthy has been a priority for us for a long time now. Over the last 3 years, we’ve been eating almost exclusively home prepared food, with the best ingredients we can find. We’re lucky that we have many nearby farms that are all organic and non-GMO, focused on health. I eat very little meat (a sacrilege for an Argentine, I know), but found some chicken from a local farm that my body agrees with. It’s hard for me to get all the proteins I need from non-meat sources, so I do have fish regularly (it took a while to find a good fish source, we get wild caught Alaskan salmon, halibut and some others). Our butter and milk is also from nearby farms, and they deliver to my door, so how can you beat that!
All that being said, I have my weaknesses, as I do love shortbread and other sweet things. However, I have found that I can’t eat store bought cakes, muffins, or any bakery items, at least not more that a bite or two. My body just does not like it and I don’t feel well after eating it, even if it’s from a health store. So I’ve turned to making the cakes and shortbreads that I love myself at home with the best ingredients I can find and then I can enjoy them without major consequences. I have my grandmother’s recipes which are really fantastic. I have found that my body is OK with a specific non-refined organic cane sugar and the local butter. If I can’t get it, then I use the Irish Kerrygold butter.
This year, my mum sent me a big box of Argentine goodies (alfajores, Havannets, mantecol, mellizas, etc) which will be hard to resist. I’ll keep them in the freezer and bring them out slowly. So much for healthy eating, at least the quality is much better than any store bought items here in the US.
Here is my grandmother’s Cheese Biscuits (sugarless) that were always a hit. They are bitesize and delicious.
3/4 cup of butter
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1-3/4 cup of flour
Salt and pepper
Leave the butter out overnight to soften
Mix butter and cheese.
Add salt and pepper
Add flour to the mix slowly for a good consistency
Roll dough not more than 1 cm thick (about 1/4 inch)
Cut into rounds about 3 cm (about an inch) in diameter and place on baking sheet
Bake at normal temperature for 25 minutes
Hi Tomas!
You are so right to eat healthy, avoid GMO’s and junk food. That stuff makes me feel like I’ve just swallowed a blob of something not appropriate for human consumption! There should be laws in the US against things that are unhealthy, but I won’t get into that right now!
I’ve always loved Spanish Music, & I played 1st trumpet in our local Civic Light Opera show of “Evita.” I love the music in that and used to sing all the male vocals for fun!
Of course, the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber isn’t Hispanic, but he captured the mood of the show perfectly!
Buenos Tardes! — Bud
After seeing so many recipes and pastry recommendations I had the opportunity to share with friends a cajeta cake that is delicious, it will not be healthy but believe me if it is worth trying….
I couldn’t even attach the image
Thanks for the recipe, Michaela! I will make some to bring to my family.
Cooking is one of my main hobbies, but I haven’t made these traditional biscuits in years. My 4 sisters make them, and a few other kinds.
I have a book of family recipes from 1979. That’s where these recipes are written down. I don’t know where they’re from originally, maybe southern Germany, since my great grandparents are mostly from there, but they have a few mid-20th Century ingredients in them, so maybe not. Not super healthy.
Gram’s Date Filled Cookies
Dough:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening (I’d use unsalted butter)
3 eggs, beaten
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
Filling:
1/2 pound dates, chopped
1/3 cup walnut pieces (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1. Cook the dates, sugar and water until thick, then add the walnuts if you want
2. Cream the shortening and sugar with the baking soda and vanilla
3. Beat eggs into the shortening/sugar, and add the rest of ingredients.
4. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, maybe 3/8″ thick. Like a jelly roll.
5. Spread the filling evenly over the rectangle.
6. Roll it up into a long cylinder.
7. Put it in the fridge overnight.
8. Slice into individual cookies.
9. Bake 12-15 minutes in a 375F oven.
Gram’s Sugar Cookies
4 sticks unsalted butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
coloured sugar or other decoration to put on top
1. Cream the butter and sugar together
2. Add the rest of the ingredients
3. Roll out the dough
4. Use molds to cut into holiday shapes
5. Decorate with coloured sugar, or whatever you like
6. Bake on top rack at 350F for 10 minutes
This last one is from the other side of my family.
Poor Man’s Cake, although these days we usually just call it Spice Cake.
1 box raisins maybe 12oz.
scant 2 cups sugar
scant 2 cups coffee
3 tablespoons shortening (butter or Crisco)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon each salt, ground cloves, and cinnamon
1, Bring raisins, sugar, coffee and Crisco to a boil for about 2 minutes, then let cool slightly
2. Mix in flour, baking soda, and spices
3. Bake for 1 hour at 375F in greased circular pan
Hello Ladies,
The recipient that I remember most is something Called Forgotten Cookies.
Makes 2 doz
2 egg Whites
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (or any nuts)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbl spoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350° beat egg Whites till foamy. Add sugar gradually, and beat till very stiff peaks form. Add chocolate chips,nuts, and flavoring. Drop by teaspoon full on ungreased foil put in heated oven. TURN OVEN OFF. Leave cookies in oven 4 to 5 hours. SERVE.
Very easy to make. So good! And you can lick the BOWL TOO! 😆 🤣 😂
BEST
RICK ROSS
I can cook, but the closest I get to baking is making toast.
I can cook good enough to keep myself alive, for how long I’m not sure.
I love to eat cookies, and donuts, and pie, and cake of various types. I’m not much for baking, although I can cook a bit.
Cheers to all,
Bobby S. 😎🎵🎵🧛♂️🎂
By the way, all the cookies and cakes they mention must be delicious.
baking is definitely not my thing. Here in Mexico, buñuelos are customary on these dates and they are prepared in different ways. The neighbor sells every year and I buy from her to give to friends. This year it hasn’t been done😔
I’ve had the same or similar thing here, one more thing to tempt me — y son muy delicoso, como muchos otros dulces de la Navidad.
Bunuelos look delicious. I really like Churros, I have them whenever I see a place that sells them.
This is the Nestle toll house recipe from the package, with a little twist of my own for a chocolate cookie. It’s easy and time-tested, and not on the healthy side very much but fully on the Merry Christmas spectrum:
2-1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4″ cup granulated sugar
3/4″ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate bits
Mix flour, soda, and salt together. Cream sugars and butter until smooth, and eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Add flour mixture slowly until all in, mix in chocolate. Drop by rounded tablespoons, bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) for 9-11 minutes.
My own little twist: reduce the flour to 1-3/4 cups, and add 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and skip the chocolate bits for a really nice chocolate cookie.
Here’s a recipe that Judy makes every year: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10222/raspberry-and-almond-shortbread-thumbprints/ . You might be able to substitute some of the jam you got in the advent calendar gift.
New Mexico’s most baked cookie is the what we’ve always heard called bisochos in our area, but it seems to be more often called by the diminutive biscochitos. The cookie was developed in New Mexico, USA over the centuries from the first Spanish colonists in the Santa Fe area. If you are looking for a healthy cookie, this is NOT it. https://betterbakerclub.com/easy-traditional-biscochito-recipe/
While Judy always makes lots of cookies, I make an airy, easy-on-the-teeth microwave peanut brittle every hear (The recipe directions are too complicated to write here.)
Last March when we visited Korea, our relatives took us on a 3 day roadtrip along the west coast/country side. We stopped at this little roadside stand that was making fresh “Hotteok”, loosely translated it sounds like “hot dog” HAHA. It was hot, and delicious.
It is a popular Korean dessert since the 19th Century, and is basically like a sweet pancake with a delicious filling inside made of crushed peanuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. In a Korean or Asian supermarket you can get pre-mixed “Hotteok” mix, similar to pancake mix, and you form it into small pancakes and put in the filling, and just grill it like pancakes. Here is the recipe, but this little video shows how it is done. The trick is how you form the little pancakes and put the filling in before you grill it. I guarantee it is delicious!
Hotteok recipe:
Batter:
200 ml water
50 ml milk
30 grams sugar
1 table spoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
20 ml oil
350 grams flour
Mix dough like pancakes
Ferment 60 to 90 minutes
Filling:
30 grams peanuts
50 grams brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Form into balls
Fill fillings, and wrap over.
Grill like pancakes.
ENJOY!!!!!
By the way, those almond Marzipans look delicious. I generally love almonds, cashes, pistachios, so it looks delightful. Will look for those in the bakery next time.
https://youtu.be/JGfk4fRsJuQ?si=BlQGARSkfkTPlm83
Hi Jung,
The “hot dogs,” — (ha-ha, or “hotteoks,”) look delicious! Very similar to pancakes. My daughter is really into Asian food & Music, particularly Korean, though she has no Korean ancestry. She likes BTS & other groups. I’ve seen their videos, along with Mama Moo & Black Pink.
They’re very good, but I prefer our MLT ladies & their Music! It is interesting tho,’ that Asian Music is so popular now! I believe that Musicians can promote World Peace and understanding MUCH better than MOST politicians, many of whom don’t seem to have a clue!
We’re having Korean take-out food for a few nights, by the way! Asian food is some of my favorite, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese & of course Indian.
Lisa & Mona’s recipe looks very good, & I do love almond cookies & croissants! But I’m not the baker in our house. I get too involved with other things! I don’t know how Mona & Lisa are able to do so many things. They must be very efficient with their use of time!
My wife & daughter ARE big Beatles fans though! We’ve seen Paul live 4 times, & Ringo live 3 times. My daughter asked to borrow all my Beatles & Wings CDs to download.
She’s an Assistant Manager in a store but wants to go back to school & get another degree, but in Museum work! She’s into Asian Art. How about that!
My hope is that ALL people & countries in the World will learn to live in Peace, and share and appreciate all their cultures, Music, food, Art, etc, to make a much better World!
— Bud
Hi Bud
Speaking of Korean food, had a huge hot pot called Budae Jjigae tonight, a kind of Korean fusion food with hot spicy broth with weiners, hotdogs (real hotdogs 😁 ) rice cake etc.. in it. Then went for a walk to burn off all the calories and see the Christmas lights at the lake nearby. Cold and drenched, but feeling good.
Wow, you’ve seen Paul McCartney and Ringo numerous times, that must have been so memorable. Your daughter likes BTS, my sister is a big BTS fan too, and in fact my brother is really into the many KPOP bands. The success of BTS in recent years have been quite phenomenal with all their songs occupying the top 5 positions in the US charts simultaneously at one point, that only the Beatles have ever done. Their music and dance choreography reminds me a lot of Michael Jackson. I’m amazed at the popularity of KPOP these days. I don’t know KPOP performances are interesting and impressive to watch, but the music doesn’t really do much for me. After experiencing MLT music, all others pale in comparison 😊 . But as you said, it is so wonderful that music knows no borders and cultural differences, and can unify the world.
I watched some videos about Marzipan and it is a very German traditional dessert, and some of the bakeries that make them in German have secret recipes to make it just perfect without being too sweet. I’ve heard of Marzipan, but don’t know if I’ve ever tried it. I’m very intrigued by it, so it’s a must have this Christmas.
Jung,
By coincidence, my wife pulled out a package of Korean pancakes tonight & heated them up on the skillet! So I had that too! She and my daughter saw BTS a few times live, but they had to go to LA & Las Vegas. We do other concerts together, like Elton John in Oct, 2022.
I haven’t had many German pastries, but I’ve had them in France, & they’re wonderful! Also, I’ve been to Austria & Vienna, & they were magical places!
I usually go to the best local Jazz Club called Jazz Alley. I’ve seen so many World-Famous Jazz Artists there, like Grace Kelly. I got to meet her, take a few pictures & see her show. She usually dances while playing the alto sax. She offered “free sweaty hugs” after the show, & she had about 50 people (plus me) in line!
Even with all the great musicians I’ve seen and met, literally in the last over 50 years, I STILL love Mona and Lisa, because they are so unique! I hope to meet them one day! — (Or two or three!)
In case you haven’t heard Grace, here you go! Btw, she won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, in 2018. She doesn’t play the sax as much on this song, but she has a unique voice!
Mona & Lisa should enter this contest, I’m sure they’d win!
Grace Kelly GO TiME: Feels Like Home Feat. Elliott Skinner – YouTube
Take care, & thanks for responding! — Bud
Hi Bud
That’s great you got to try some Hotteok 👍 I’ve never seen Grace Kelly before, she is a great singer. Thanks for sharing the video, enjoyed it.
All the best
Jung
I bake a lot and do amazing desserts, but cookies isn’t particularly a specialty. There are a few recipes I really like and stick to those, but they’re not particularly festive or holiday-related. At Christmastime I make a triple-layer chocolate peppermint cheesecake, however, the recipe is not for attempting unless you’re a veteran cheesecake maker, is incredibly complicated, and takes hours, so I won’t post it here.
Roger, your triple-layer chocolate peppermint cheesecake sounds wonderful. If these livestream events were in person, I’d ask you to bring some. 😀
You’re close enough I could probably ship one to you. Getting one to England, not a chance.
I’m no good at baking. My recipe for Christmas goodies is to get in my car and drive to my sister in law’s home. Her and her daughter make all kinds of delicious treats and I like to sample them all. I think rosettes are my favorite.
I know what you mean Tim. I do a lot of taste testing, and I have amazing neighbors who always bring me a bunch of goodies.
My wife bakes like she is stocking a bakery. Holidays mean 10 pounds.
Only ten, Tim? You have a lot more willpower than I do!
Yeah Tim, my niece took culinary classes in Milwaukee with dreams of becoming a chef. She went into construction instead for the money. She still likes to show off her cooking skills on Christmas.
Lol… well , although these 2 recipes aren’t exactly healthy-ish, but oh, so yummy, and not cookie related but thought you’d enjoy making , here’s a Cream Cheese/Cherry pinwheel sandwich recipe ( can’t recall the family version recipe for it but it turns out the same more or less and it’s part of the Xmas food/treats haul on Xmas Day on my late Dad’s side of family when we gather ) … and I also added my late GRANDMA REA’S ( my late Mom’s Mother ) 2 fave cookie recipes I loved eating whenever at her house … for a Bonus here, definitely were homemade made with live from her heart through her hands, etc to make, enjoy 😉
**I’ve used the Imperial Measures but for UK or European conversions for Measures, please refer to a conversion chart**
Cream Cheese and Cherry | East Coast Living https://eastcoastliving.ca/recipes/cream-cheese-and-cherry/
Then comes the No fail Go to Fudge recipe that my famiky always request I do up for both sides of family at Xmas/Thanksgiving/Easter …
ONE BOWL FUDGE RECIPE :
Ingredients:
Either use 1-2 pkgs of Bakers or whatever brand of Semisweet Chocolate Baking Squares or 2 ( 270 g sized pkgs-bag ) of either mini-chocochips or regular sized choco chips
( Not sure if carob chocolate chips would work, but you could try)
2/3 cups condensed milk ( canned sweetened milk ) either Low Fat or regular
About a 1/4 to a 1 TSP of vanilla extract or whatever flavor of extract you wish to use
** ADD -IN Optionals **…. Use your imagination here, add dried fruit, cherries, blueberries, marshmallows , etc into mix after it’s been melted in microwave for a more flavourful fudge …. I love to add marshmallows ….
Procedure :
1) Put all ingredients in a medium/big microwave safe bowl and zap for about 1-2 minutes doing so in increments( stop and stir) as to not burn
2) Line a bread loaf pan with foil , Grease the foil at bottom/sides ( makes for easier removal ) with butter
3) Pour into loaf pan , place in fridge for overnight to set/firm up or make in morning and by afternoon, it should be set but I do/make it at night before bed, place in fridge overnight, and that has been working for me so I stick to that, making it at night before bedtime is ideal
4) Take out of fridge , remove from bread loaf pan , remove foil, cut into desired pieces size and indulge … – I cut up into tiny cube sized so there’s more of it to go around, and you can freeze the keftovers in airtight container but wrap fudge in wax paper/foil before putting in airtight container, and will keep in freezer for a couple of months …
Here’s a cookie recipe from an online friend that she sent to me and Damn, it ‘s frikkin tasty…. Fusion of a Shortbread-Sugar cookie ….
SHORTBREAD-SUGAR FUSION COOKIE RECIPE :
Ingredients :
1 Cup of Butter ( unsalted or salted ) room temperature ( or melt briefly to soften in microwave in microwave safe dish about 20-25 seconds )
1/2 cup Sugar ( white sugar ) ( maybe Stevia /sweetener of some sort as an alternative , but not sure , as I use sugar)
2 egg yolks
1 and a 1/2 TSP of Vanilla extract
2 and 1/2 to 3 cups flour ( not sure of other flour alternatives , if it would work )
1/4 TSP salt
Procedure :
1.) Cream together the Butter/Sugar, then add egg yolks/vanilla extract, proceed to then add in the flour and salt,
2.) Mix it all up well together and Grease or Parchment Paper line your cookie sheets/trays , roll out dough and use cookie cutters or just roll up into balls, press with fork to flatten on cookie sheets/trays
3.) Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 to 400 degrees farenheit oven ( temperature depends on oven , as some ovens are hotter or not as ) for approximately 12-15 minutes, let cookies cool on racks, they can be freeze ( in freezer safe containers or freezer bags, and stored in airtight container for on countertop
My GRANDMA REA’S FAMOUS SOFT GINGER COOKIES RECIPE
These were always a hit , anytime, and the one thing I’d beeline for upon arrival at her house, she stored them in cookie tins with wax paper…ooooohhhh yeahhhhh…. Homemade from the heart … what yummy /happy memories of her ….
Ingredients :
1 Egg
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 TBSP of Vinegar
1 Cup Molasses
2and a 1/2 to 3 Cups Flour
1 TBSP of Baking Soda
** Sift together the Flour/Ground Ginger/Salt/Baking Soda **
1/4 up to 1 TSP of Ground Ginger ( depending how strong/ how much ginger strength preference desired, weak at 1/4 TSP to full blown strength of 1 TSP )
1/2 TSP salt
1/2 TSP Cinnamon
Procedure :
1.) Beat Egg with fork, then add Brown Sugar and beat well again, then stir in the vinegar/molasses and then you add the Flour/Salt/Ginger/Baking Soda (already sifted together) and mix it up all well
2.) Drop by Teaspoonfuls onto a Greased Cookie Sheet /Trays or lined with Parchment Paper, press drops of dough down with a fork
3.) Bake in a preheated oven at 325 Degree Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 mins ( Again oven temps may vary from oven to oven, just check regularly as to not burn )
Take out of oven, cool on racks
** Store in either cookie tins with wax paper or in an airtight container **
GRANDMA REA’S SHORTBREAD COOKIE RECIPE
Ingredients :
1 Cup of Butter ( Room Temperature or again softened briefly in microwave for 20 -25 seconds )
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Icing ( Powdered) Sugar
1/4 TSP Salt
Procedure :
1.) Cream Butter/Sugar together , then mix in some of the Flour
2.)Turn out onto Floured Surface, Knead in rest of remaining Flour
3.) Roll out and use cookie cutters or drop by Teaspoonfuls and press down with fork and place onto Greased/or Parchment Paper lined cookie sheets/trays
4.) Bake in preheated oven at 325 Degrees Fahrenheit ( again oven temps vary from oven to oven , check on cookies as to not burn ) for approximately 10-25 minutes
I believe these can be freezer in airtight freezer safe container and/or airtight countertop containers and/or cookie tins with wax paper
This should be great treats!!!
Sounds pretty good – may have to try it!
I made an error in baking time, for my Grandma Rea’s Soft Gingerbread cookies Recipe, I think it was for 8-10 mins instead of 20-25 mins as I had posted…lol… whoops, my bad…, I had several cookie recipes in front of me, and with my eyesight issues, I believe I misread the minutes from another recipe, thinking it was for Grandma Rea’s as I had them all out looking , to choose, and got confused, misread…. lol… good reason, why came out burnt, my bad , Mona & Lisa …. I apologize, my bad , forgive me but still happy you tried the recipe, perhaps tackle the fudge recipe sometime, that one is easy, 3 ingredients, done in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, put in fridge overnight to set , next day, take fudge out of lined/- wax paper or tinfoil lined or greased bread-loaf- pan … I don’t know the metric conversions of Cups and Teaspoons etc …, as I use Imperial measurements ( non-metric )
Well, I’m not a kitchen person at all, so I’m gonna have to sit this one out. The most culinarily creative thing I ever do is to mix together equal masses of peanuts, raisins, and chocolate chips and store them in a plastic container for when I get the munchies.
Neither my wife or I am much of a Christmas baker. I make homemade pies form our apples, cherries, strawberries and rhubarb that we grow. But that’s kind of a year round thing. I have a “bit” of a weakness for cookies and brownies though. I should learn I guess.
My Mom used to make rhubarb pie, it was really good, haven’t had any for ages. I know a Canadian family that make rhubarb candy by soaking cut up pieces of rhubarb in sugar water for a day or so and then dehydrating them. It looks delicious, I want to try it sometime.
I love cold pie with my coffee for breakfast. I also make pies and all the pie plates are currently in the freezer for winter. We had a banner year for apples from our “insane” apple tree in the back yard. I started picking tart apples in June, and still have a couple on the tree to eat fresh – hence the word insane. We have fed countless birds of varying species and the honey bees go after the apples that go bad and rot (they actually get sometimes get drunk).
I can attest to the birds. Every fall the few apples that I can’t get to will slowly ferment and the robins and waxwings love them. We also have two flowering crab trees that produce small berry size fruit that the birds just go crazy for in late September and early October. even the grouse partake of the naturally alcohol infused fruit. Kinda funny to watch them get tipsy.
I once saw a bird fall off a telephone wire in California from eating fermented berries. The area quail also indulge our rotting “cider apples” that are on the ground. The quail either don’t over indulge, or can really hold their liquor. Some of the bees need to go to AA. Here’s a drunk magpie video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pnqYG9E9AQ
I recipe i make at xmas time is not a cookie, but it is quite healthy; I make two coloured stewing pears. For that I use ordinary stew pears( Gieser Wildeman for example) and peel them , while i leave the twig on it. Then i cook the peeled pears in a mixture of water, and three tablespoons of sugar ( sweetener is more healthy and is oke too) to the water i add 1 tablespoon of curcuma ( yellowroot) and cook the pears about 25″ .Let the pears ( they should be totally yellow by now) cool off and then put them in a pan filled with red port or red wine till the pears are halfway in it. Just leve the pears for a day . When i get them out of the pan the next day, i stick 1 or two leves of mint next to the twig on top.i would love to add a picture of it, but don’t know how to do that,sorry
I’d love to try yours, but I found out a few years ago that eating tree nuts results in kidney stones for me. That sucks, because I LOVE nuts. Thankfully peanuts don’t adversely affect me, so bring on the “peanuts, cats and(or) sourdough”! 🥜🐈🍞
I later in life developed a severe-fatal nut allergies to pistachios in particular, walnuts , too ( accidentally but glad I got tested to confirm so I must avoid ALL Nuts ) also am sensitive mildly -moderately allergic to sunflower oil, seeds, sesame, etc… so I basically have to Bake all treats, read labels carefully with store bought stuff and only can eat certain guaranteed nut free/sunflower/sesame, etc free products … it does suck, however now in hindsight, it makes sense now why as a kid, I wasn’t keen on peanut butter, sunflower seeds, sesame seeded buns, etc,
That’s a shame, Jacki! My problem with nuts isn’t fatal or highly dangerous but the risk of the pain of kidney stones keeps me away from them. I’m thankful legumes like peanuts don’t seem to bother me.
That’s a tough one Jacki – nuts show up a lot in Christmas baking. I have a sister who can’t eat nuts or whey; we don’t even try to bake anything for her.
Yes …. I have to ve extra cautious and vigilant….even the smell of nuts can bother me… but the pistachios…lethal … a school chum died at age 18/19 from a peanut allergy …. it made local news at the time and thus I think because of that, restaurant/foodcourts/takeout had to use alternative oil and label/and name available ingredients lists and have in place ” Allergy Alert ” signs …. thus I don’t eat out hardly at all …. and don’t eat much …. Thankfully I can bake better than cook ….lol….I love Baking moreso than cooking .
Whoops …should of read …. ingredients lists be made available and I can only eat KitKat/Area chocolate bars made in Canada and Wagon Wheels and guaranteed made in a dedicated Peanut/Nut free Facility …. There are 2 Nutfree bakeries that I’ve safely had treats from…but if they were to use sunflower/sesame oils, etc…then I can no longer eat from them ….
My sister has also found a way around her issues and also has to be very careful eating out. I’m really glad I don’t have your severe food allergies. I can eat basically whatever I want. My biggest problem with food is having to stay on a watch-your-calorie diet since I was in my late 20’s. I don’t like dieting, but if I didn’t diet I be 300+ pounds and probably be in a wheel chair. This time of year it’s really hard to watch calories, and all these great recipes…
Wow! Coincidentally, I’m baking 3 kinds of cookies and making frosting for the sugar cookies my sister baked today! My favorite is my family recipe for crispy oatmeal cookies that I’ll share below. While not exactly healthy, as hard as the oatmeal tries, sugar substitute could be used to help some. Warning: These can be finicky and come out flat or chewy pretty easily. If done right, they’re crispy and airy in the center when done. They’re always edible, but amazing when they come out right!
1 cup shortening (I use a crisco stick, but you can try apple sauce, but I never have because these are so finicky)
1 cup sugar (or sub.)
1 cup brown sugar (I prefer dark, but light works fine) packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour (I like unbleached)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups quick oats
Cream both sugars and shortening (I use an electric stand mixer and slowly buildup to the ‘cream’ setting),
Mix in eggs and vanilla,
Mix flour and soda together by hand, then mix into the creamed mixture,
Stir in oats by hand (I use a wooden spoon)
Roll into walnut-sized balls and flatten LIGHTLY with a fork,
Bake at 350 F for 10-12 min. or to taste of crispiness
NOTE: I make them a bit smaller than walnut-sized and bake for only 9 or so minutes because I think they come out more uniformly crispy and people seem to enjoy them bite-sized. Less messy, too!
These are a bit messier than other cookies to prepare as the batter is somewhat sticky, but if you add flour to compensate they may lose their desired crispiness when completed.
ENJOY!
Nice Jeffrey, sounds yummy, love oatmeal cookies. ” Me wants 4 dozen Oatmeal cookies” from Santa. From my favourite Sesame street character the Cookie Monster.
Yup, Cookie Monster is awesome, but also the messiest eater in the universe!
Cookie Monster actually delivered one of the most clever puns I’ve ever heard. Kermit was showing off a rectangle, talking about how it has four sides and four corners, etc. Then C.M. came along and karate-chopped it into little pieces. Kermit said, “Look what you did! I was trying to explain about rectangles, and now this shape isn’t a rectangle anymore!” And C.M. said, “No, it’s still a rectangle: it’s a wreck, and it’s a tangle!”
I actually remember that bit, but not in such good detail as you!
Well, Jeffery, I did cheat and look it up on YouTube to fill in some details. The punchline was all I remembered well.
I love oatmeal cookies, in fact I love way too many sweet things. Fortunately, I only crave sweets in the morning and the later evening.
Luckily for me, I only crave sweets on days that end in “y”.
Ditto Jeff.
Bobby S.
I like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies…I’m not to keen on raisins….will once in a blue moon get a craving and buy a pkg bag of the small snack sized Sunmaid Brand raisins and eat alone on their own ….
Never raisins in mine, Jacki! I like raisins by themselves, but not in anything baked. Cinnamon raisin toast is good, tho.