Holiday Cheer Cookies
Christmas baking has officially kicked off in my home. I started off by making up a batch of holiday cheer cookies which were always a college favorite. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Holiday Cheer Cookies
Ingredients
2 sticks butter; at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup toffee pieces
1 cup red and green M&M\’s, smashed into pieces; i used a rolling pin and rolled it over the M&M\’s
2/3 cup pecans; chopped I bought mine from Oh Nuts!
2/3 cup honey wheat pretzels; finely broken up
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla for three minutes. Add the egg and beat until just combined.
3. In a separate bowl add salt, baking soda and sift in flour. Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until combined.
4. Stir in toffee, M&M\’s, pecans and pretzels.
5. Scoop and place on your baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned on the edges. I made bigger cookies so they took 12-14 minutes. If you are making smaller cookies start at 7 minutes and gradually add time as needed. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least five minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
25 Stocking Stuffers Under $25
Five Things
Can you believe it\’s already December – Christmas is just around the corner. This week I managed to decorate my little pink Christmas tree, put lights around the balcony and fill my apartment with snowmen as well as all my favorite holiday scents. My weekend is going to be filled with holiday baking and crafts. What are you up to this weekend?
Ribbon Wreath Ornament
Wreaths can make a home look stunning, and they are a quick change for seasons and holidays. For the past few years I have been making ribbon wreaths. Last year I made some ribbon wreath ornaments to tie on presents. Since they were such a huge hit with family and friends I decided to make them again this year.
Supplies
• 3\” Wreath Form
I bought a 3 inch styrofoam cylinder and cut it into three equal pieces. I then took a small circle cookie cutter and cut a circle in the middle of each \”wreath\”.
• 105 (2.5\” long pieces of 3/8\” wide ribbon of your choice)
• 7\” length ribbon for hanging your wreath with
• Aleen\’s Original Tacky Glue
• Hot Glue Gun & Sticks
I bought a 3 inch styrofoam cylinder and cut it into three equal pieces. I then took a small circle cookie cutter and cut a circle in the middle of each \”wreath\”.
Cut 105 pieces of ribbon 2.5 inches long (three colors of ribbon is 35 pieces each)
Use Aleen\’s Original Tacky Glue and put a dot on each piece of your ribbon.
After each ribbon has a dot of glue begin to fold them into a circle like the picture seen above.
If you dot one ribbon and fold right away it won\’t stay together.
Glue the ribbon to the styrofoam (I used hot glue)
* Note: You can wrap your wreath form with ribbon if the glue gun is melting your styrofoam.
Cranberry Orange Bread
Cranberry Orange Bread
Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• Beat the egg, butter, sugar and juice together. Mix all dry ingredients and add to mixture; beat until well combined. Stir in cranberries by hand (add nuts if desired).
• Pour into loaf pan and bake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before removing from the pan.
Fashion meets Food 