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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Popovers

When I was a kid Christmas morning meant two things: Santa and breakfast - a fabulous breakfast made by my mom. My grandparents and other family members were always invited, and we had great, Southern fare: grits, bacon, sausage, eggs (scrambled and boiled), toast and my favorite ... gravy made from leftover turkey and drippings from Christmas Eve dinner. I still love breakfast, and a few years ago I was the one making Christmas breakfast for everybody. But I'm going to tell you what - I just don't know how my mom did it year after year. I love to cook for the people I love, and Christmas morning just screams out for a homemade spread, but phew; it's a lot of work! That's why I've been searching for homemade breakfast food that's easy on a tired brain but also makes stomachs happy. And people I have found it. Popovers. (Where have they been all my life?)

I can't believe how simple these were, and although I've been eyeing popover pans - they're so cute with their skinny cups, dancing together on wire - I'm okay without one. Muffin pans are the way to go because you still end up with glorious, delicate popovers, crisp on the outside with a creamy, eggy center. I love them plain, but how about dusting them with powdered sugar and sprinkling them with sparkling cranberries? Or maybe dousing them in syrup, with some good, spicy sausage alongside? And I daresay they wouldn't be half-bad with some of Mama's turkey gravy, either. But just go ahead and do yourself a favor; make a couple of pans of them. It's hard not to eat a whole dozen by yourself!



Popovers
Adapted from Mark Bittman
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour a teaspoon of melted butter into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan. Put pan in oven while you make batter.
2. Beat eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon butter, sugar and salt. Beat in the flour a bit at a time. Mixture should be smooth once all flour is added.
3. Carefully remove muffin pan from oven and fill each cup about halfway. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees, and bake another 15 minutes , or until popovers are puffed and browned. Do not open oven door until popovers have baked 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Chocolate Balls (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Balls!
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chewy Cherry Chunk Cookies!
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... School Fudge!
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Rolo Cookies!
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches'!
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

This is the one Christmas treat my family simply must find on the table every. single. year. I've seen other versions of them on the Internet, but this is the recipe in my mom's cookbook, and it's also the recipe my grandmother always used. They're fabulous: bite-size portions of peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, graham-cracker crumbs, pecans and coconut. Of course my sisters and I had to marry the fuddy-duddies who request every year to "Leave out the coconut!" and "Leave out the pecans!" We just end up making several batches, which is not exactly a bad thing because it leaves us with a ton more chocolate balls to eat! They're obviously very rich, but you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who dislikes them. They're also a dessert that's fun to make together; everybody gets messy and there is plenty of work to spread around! Gather with your siblings this year and try them out. I promise you won't be disappointed!

This recipe brings us to the end of my 12 Days of Christmas Treats. I hope you try some of these treats this holiday and share them with your family, too.

Chocolate Balls
Source: Confabulation in the Kitchen
Printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
2.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 12 ounce jar crunchy peanut butter
3.5 ounces unsweetened coconut
1 cup pecans
3 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 bar paraffin wax (optional - makes chocolate coating shiny)

Directions:
1. In very large bowl mix graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Pour melted butter over mixture and stir to combine. Add peanut butter, coconut and pecans to mixture. Using your hands, mix well, then form 1 to 1.5-inch, tightly packed balls.
2. In double boiler (or in glass bowl over pot of simmering water), melt chocolate chips and paraffin wax. (I keep burner on low; water only needs to be warm to melt chocolate. And be VERY SURE not to get ANY WATER in the chocolate or it will seize and you will cry.)
3. Sit balls on top of fork, dip them into chocolate, then carefully tap fork on edge of pot to remove excess chocolate. Line up balls on wax-covered trays. Place trays in coldest spot of house to allow chocolate to set. (I put mine on the attic steps; my mom uses the garage.) After packaging balls in tins be sure to store them in a cold spot.

Chewy Cherry Chunk Cookies (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chewy Cherry Chunk Cookies!
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... School Fudge!
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Rolo Cookies!
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches'!
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

The last time I made these my father-in-law ate at least half the batch. But who can blame him? It's hard to resist chocolate and cherry; there's a reason chocolate-covered cherries are so popular! They were one of my Maw Maw's favorite candies, but I will readily admit that I don't particularly care for them; it's the sweet, red goo that gets to me. But I do like dried cherries, and in this cookie they are perfection. I know there are a lot of white-chocolate haters (but I'm not one of them.) If that's the case for you, just add all milk chocolate; I don't think your cookie-testers will complain either way!

Chewy Cherry Chunk Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup boiling water
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 .5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup milk chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Put the dried cherries in a small bowl, and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand at least five minutes to let cherries plump. Drain water, and set cherries aside.
3. In a large bowl beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in cherries, chocolates and pecans. Batter will be stiff.
4. Using a large ice-cream scoop making balls of dough. Place them about four inches apart on baking sheets, giving them room to spread. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are just brown at the edges. (If you make smaller balls of dough you may want to reduce the cooking time to about 12 minutes.)
5. Let cool on sheets about five minutes before removing cookies to wire racks, where they should cool completely. Cookies will stay fresh up to a week if kept in an airtight container.

School Fudge (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... School Fudge!
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Rolo Cookies!
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches'!
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

These cookies are in fact the first thing I ever remember making by myself. You've probably had these before; at least all the schools around here used to make pans of this fudge, slice it into bars and wrap it in cellophane. I think it sold for about a quarter, and it was very good. When I took these into work the first thing I heard was "These taste just like school fudge bars!" This recipe is from our ever popular Purple Church Cookbook, and every time I make them I think of the lady who submitted the recipe. She was so much fun, and treated us girls like princesses! Plus I loved the independence I was given when Mama let me make these myself. (No oven required!) So basically these cookies are a Christmas goodie filled with chocolate and peanut butter and wrapped in a hint of nostalgia. Every recipe is better when it comes with a dose of nostalgia, don't you think?

School Fudge
Confabulation in the Kitchen
Printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk.)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used natural, organic.)
2 cups oatmeal (I used quick-cook, in the large can.)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. In sauce pan, bring sugar, butter, cocoa and milk to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about 45 seconds.
2. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, oatmeal and vanilla.
3. Drop onto waxed paper and let cool.

Rolo Cookies (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Rolo Cookies!
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches'!
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

I've made and posted about these once before, but that was a few years ago. That's the only time I've ever made these cookies, but they made a big impression. Brad talks about them a lot. He needed a dessert for a co-worker's birthday a few weeks ago and he requested these cookies. And he'd been asking me if I wanted him to go buy Rolos for these cookies for awhile before that. I took these to work, too, and everybody always wanted to know "What's in the middle of this cookie? And how did it get there?" I think they would be fun to make with kids, because as fun as it is to be on the receiving end of a surprise it's fun to give away surprises, too!

Rolo Cookies
Adapted from BakeSpace
Makes about three dozen cookies.
Printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 bag or about 6 rolls of Rolos

Topping
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat sugars and butter on high speed until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour mixture and mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill and least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. In a small bowl, combine pecans and sugar.
5. Scoop about a tablespoon of chilled dough, and using your thumb make a well in the center. Insert rolo then squeeze dough around it to cover. Roll ball in pecan-sugar mixture and place on sheets, two inches apart.
6. Bake about 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked on top. Cool about two minutes on sheet before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches' (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches'!
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

I love Girl Scout cookies. I know they're over priced; there aren't enough in the package; and they're totally over-hyped, but I do. They hold a lot of nostalgia for me; I remember my mom taking me through the neighborhood to peddle those teeny parcels of goodness. My best friend had her favorite, Thin Mints. And I had my favorite: Peanut Butter Sandwiches (or Do-Si-Dos for some of you.) So when I saw this recipe I knew it was a keeper. I mean look at them; they're Girl Scout Cookies taken up like ten notches. They're also the most involved cookie you'll see during these 12 Days of goodness, but they aren't difficult, they're just a bit more time-consuming. But come on, you guys. It's Christmas! If you can't spend a bit of extra time in the kitchen this time of year when can you?

Peanut Butter 'Sandwiches'
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg

Peanut butter filling
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 teaspoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat butter, peanut butter, sugar and egg until smooth. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture.
4. For each cookie, roll about a teaspoon of dough into a ball. Place balls two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool two minutes on sheet before moving cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Filling: Mix peanut butter and powdered sugar. Spread flat side of half the cookies with about a teaspoon of filling; top with remaining cookies. Chill 30 minutes.
5. In small bowl, microwave chips and oil for 1 minute. Remove and stir until chips are melted and chocolate is smooth. Pour chocolate into plastic bottle or plastic baggie. When you're ready to decorate your cookies, snip a tiny bit off a bottom corner of the bag. Drizzle cookies with chocolate then refrigerate to set.

* Recipe should make 3 dozen, but I ended up with extra filling so be sure to be generous as you fill your cookies. Gently squeeze halves together to spread filling to edges.
* I had to make extra chocolate to complete the drizzling.
* I used a plastic squeeze bottle, bought in the candy-making aisle, to drizzle the cookies. It worked like a charm, but it's not fun to clean. Just a warning. A sink of hot water, with the bottle submerged, is the best way to loosen and dissolve the chocolate.

Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies

Yes. They're tiny. That's actually a stack of Tiny Chocolate Chip cookies in a ramekin. They're also sweet - very sweet. They have a distinct caramel taste and they're almost like candy, which means you have to be careful around them because they tend to disappear like M&Ms. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I made these, and they spread more than I planned so be careful how you space them on your pans. They're thin, crisp, sweet and very chocolaty, too. I can't imagine a better treat to sit alongside your coffee on Christmas morning. And yes. Cookies are an acceptable breakfast on Christmas morning. Santa told me so.

Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from epicurious
Printer-friendly recipe
Makes about 150 cookies

Ingredients
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cream butter, sugar, salt and baking soda until fluffy, about 30 seconds, then add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and mix on low until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop half-teaspoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 1.5 inches apart. Bake 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool a minute or two on sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Santa Buttons (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Santa Buttons!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

If you're having a cookie exchange this year, or if you're looking for a Christmas treat to hand out as gifts (in pretty little packages, with pretty ribbon of course) these are the cookies to make. Food and Wine actually calls them Baby Buttons, which is cute and would definitely be a perfect sweet for a baby shower, but I thought they would be adorable colored red and green and made into Santa buttons! (Or elf buttons, if you wish.) Mine aren't perfect, but when you take a bite that doesn't matter. They're so light and sweet and delicate - perfect with a cup of tea (or a mug of cocoa!)

Santa Buttons
Adapted from Food and Wine
Printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, pulse butter and half cup of powdered sugar. Add cornstarch, vanilla and flour and pulse until soft dough forms. Remove dough and divide into four equal pieces.
3. On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch log. Cut into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Place on sheet, and bake 20 to 22 minutes, until bottoms are browned but tops are pale. (Cookies can be placed pretty close together because they won't spread much during baking.)
4. Sift remaining powdered sugar into a bowl. Toss warm cookies in sugar to coat. Transfer to clean sheet. While cookies are still warm poke button holes into them with a toothpick or skewer. Let cookies cool completely before serving.

Cranberry Crumb Bars (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cranberry Crumb Bars!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

When I first saw these bars forever ago on Smitten Kitchen I knew I had to make them. She used blueberries, and I considered using cherries in the spring, but I had a feeling that these would make beautiful Christmas treats using cranberries instead. I was so right. I was a bit frightened that the cranberries might be too tart since they're simply washed and layered in the pan whole, but my fears subsided with one bite. The cranberries still offered my cheeks that ting of sourness, but the fabulous crust and just-sweet-enough topping took this dessert to a more sophisticated level. I'll definitely be trying this recipe with blueberries in the future; blueberry bars would be a wonderful breakfast or going-away gift for houseguests. But I have to say that for a more elegant dessert I'd have to go with cranberries!

Blueberry (Cranberry) Crumb Bars at Smitten Kitchen

Chocolate Crinkles (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Chocolate Crinkles!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

There is just something about the name of these cookies, Chocolate Crinkles, that makes me think of Christmas. Maybe it makes me think of the crinkle of wrapping paper as gifts are opened on Christmas morning. Or maybe it reminds me of the crinkle in Santa's nose as he laughs and his belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly. It could be that it makes me imagine the pops and crinkles a roaring fire makes as we drink hot tea and cocoa on Christmas Eve. It's no surprise, evidently, that when I spotted this recipe I immediately knew they'd be on my dessert table this holiday season. And the fact that Mrs. Betty Crocker is to thank for them, well, that makes it all the better because no one says "home" quite like Mrs. Crocker! Dusted with powdered sugar they're reminiscent of a dusting of snow on the pines in the yard. Wow. So much Christmas imagery is attached to these cookies! Have I persuaded you to try them yet?

Chocolate Crinkles
Source: Betty Crocker
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover. Chill at least 3 hours.
2. Heat oven to 350*. Grease cookie sheet or line with silpat or parchment paper.
3. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Drop into powdered sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched in center. Immediately remove cookies to racks.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

First, a confession. I've made these before (and I even posted about them.) But they've never been featured in The Kitchen, and boy howdy do they ever deserve to be featured here! I mean really, have you ever met someone who doesn't like cinnamon rolls? These cookies may be the next best thing - and they're obviously cute as buttons, too. Ingrid noticed that I've been showcasing a lot of nutty goodies, but I can't help myself - if you're from the South it's hard to avoid nut-laden desserts, especially if that nut is a pecan! My dad loves pecans in anything, and when I made these I had him in mind. And besides, while I do love chocolate a girl certainly can't live on chocolate alone. And variety is the spice of life. And ... I'll stop there. Just make these, won't you?

Cinnamon Roll Cookies, via Bake or Break.

Microwave Peanut Brittle (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Microwave Peanut Brittle!
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

(As you can tell, I've been busy and have put together 12 Christmas treats for the first 12 days of December. I hope you enjoy them all!)

I have always liked to cook. I remember standing on a chair at the stove, where I was in charge of turning the squash as it fried. I remember making tons of chocolate-chip cookies for my dad when I was in high school. (I used the recipe on the back of the package, of course. It's hard to beat.) And I used to love to break out my mom's church cookbook to see what I could find. Flipping through those pages is like saying hello to friends. Janet's chocolate pound cake. Betty Jo's cookies. Maw Maw's cornbread. And one year it was peanut brittle. It became my peanut brittle, and I made it in the microwave - batch after batch of it. It's easy. It always works. And everybody enjoys a small piece here and another piece there. This isn't the same recipe, but it's similar and just as good. Trust me. I ate it all myself.

Peanut Brittle
Adapted from Cooks.com
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup raw peanuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
1. Spread butter on baking sheet and set aside.
2. In a two-quart, microwaveable bowl combine sugar, corn syrup, peanuts and salt. Microwave on high for four minutes then remove and stir. Return and microwave another three to four minutes, being careful not to let mixture get too brown.
3. Remove and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Spread as thinly as possible on baking sheet. Let cool then break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Almond Lace Cookies (12 Days of Christmas Treats)

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me ... Almond Lace Cookies!

My youngest sister absolutely loves lace cookies so these were specifically made for her. I always thought they'd be much more difficult to make than they actually were because they're so thin and delicate, just like the lace your grandmother may have kept in her hope chest. As you can see you can practically see through them. When made correctly they should be brittle and sweet, not oily and chewy (which is easy to do, believe me.) They also take awhile to make so prepare to spend some time in the kitchen, and please don't try to put more than four on a pan at a time; the batter really spreads!

You can also see in the background my Moravian Star (or Herrnhuter Stern in German.) Sunday, Nov. 29, was the first Sunday of Advent, which meant it was time to light our star. I live in the land of the Moravian, and although most homes put up a star at Christmas you can always tell the true Moravians from the other holiday-goers because Moravians know not to light their star until the season of Advent arrives. It is the official holiday decoration of the city, and the largest one in the world (31 feet tall) sits atop Baptist hospital here in town.

Almond lace cookies are in the kitchen and Moravian stars are lit in every window around town. I'd say it's time to turn on the Christmas music and get out the holiday cookie jars!

Almond Lace Cookies
Adapted from epicurious
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two cookie sheets.
2. In medium-sized pot over medium heat, cook brown sugar, butter and corn syrup, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove pot from stove and stir in flour and almonds.
3. Drop batter onto cookie sheets using a teaspoon; put no more than four cookies on each baking sheet because they will spread five to six inches. Bake six to eight minutes. Remove from oven and cool about two minutes before using a spatula to carefully moving them to a metal rack to cool completely.

Notes
* Cookies will stay fresh up to five days if kept in an airtight container.
* If batter becomes too stiff to spoon easily, reheat it over low heat for about 30 seconds.
* If cookies become too brittle to remove from baking sheet, return sheet to oven for about a minute to soften.
* Cookies are very pliable after cooling on pan for two minutes and can be shaped around cylinders or bowls for an even prettier presentation, but you will have to work quickly.

* Want your own Moravian Star? Visit With A Grateful Prayer and A Thankful Heart for a chance to win some for your Christmas tree! Aren't they beautiful?*