Have a Delicious Christmas!

Illustration by Dan Funderburgh. Used with permission.

Merry Christmas!

One of my favorite presents this year?  A new design template for Snackreligious.com, labored over by my favorite artist/designer/husband.  I hope to be rolling all of the elements out to you in the next few days or so.  I'm getting business cards, too.  Fancy!

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Recipe Box 2009

(Recipe Box 2008 can be found here)

Let's talk Cookie Party. What really worked this year? What was new? What will I make again? Which recipes can you find online? Here's a rundown:


Artichoke & Spinach Dip with crackers (not pictured) -- I'm still using my favorite recipe, which my friend Angela gave to me. It has red pepper flakes in it for spice. This year, I made it a day ahead and heated it up right before the party started. Perfect!



Black and White Espresso Chip Cookies - NEW! I decided to try this recipe because I wanted to make a cookie flavored with the instant espresso powder in my spice cabinet, but I didn't want to make the chocolate mint cookies I've used it for in the past. I'd gotten burnt out on those when I baked cookies for Tim and Holly's wedding. These espresso chip cookies were okay, but not my favorite of the cookies I served this year. (recipe here, nuts omitted)



Boy Scout Bars -- Jeff suggested I rename these, as he and I are uncomfortable with The Boy Scouts of America as an organization. I didn't have a much better experience with The Girl Scouts when I was a child, so the lady scouts are out, too. Other possible names being tossed around include "Girl Guide Bars" and "Brunettes." Everyone seems to love these, as do I. (recipe here)



Buttermilk Bacon Pralines - NEW! -- I'm still on the search for the perfect bacon cookie or sweet. These pralines were good, but too sweet. I also felt the citrus flavor wasn't balanced against anything, but I used lemon juice instead of orange, so that might be my fault. (recipe here)



Chocolate Peppermint Snaps - NEW! -- Since, as I mentioned above, I decided not to make more chocolate butter cookies with mint glaze this year, I wanted to find a new cookie to represent "mint" in the taste spectrum. These are simple and really minty. They do, as the cookbook suggests, taste something like Girl Scout Thin Mints. (recipe here, from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)



Chocolate Wakeups -- I've made these several years in a row now. They're the perfect mixture of spice and chocolate. (recipe here, from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)



Citrus Sizzlers -- These come off spicier than the chocolate wakeups, but they're also a favorite of more people than the chocolate version. I love both kinds. (from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)



Cocoa Snowflakes (pistachios) -- I made this cookie for the second year in a row. I don't know why, but I liked them better last year. I think they may not do too well being made ahead of time. If I make them again next year, I'll shuffle them to the end of the baking schedule. (recipe here)



Coconut Joe Froggers (vegan) -- People kept asking me where the name "Froggers" comes from, but I had forgotten this cookie's origin story (which varies). I think they are fine, but nothing special. Send me your awesome vegan cookie recipes!! (recipe here, but add coconut; from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)



Cornflake Pecan Honeys - IMPROVED! -- Last year, I felt these cookies were missing something. You may remember, I got the recipe off of MySpace, despite the fact that I've never belonged to MySpace or spent much time there. Thanks for the tip, Tia! Anyway, this year I substituted local honey (a gift from my friend Stephen) for half of the sugar in the recipe. I also used pecans. Chewy and crispy at once, these turned out to be one of my favorites for the year. They were reborn; I absolutely love this cookie with honey. I will make these again and again. (recipe here, but substitute honey for half the sugar)



Crispix Mix (pistachios) - Lime or Original -- Dan made two batches of Crispix Mix, each with a different flavor profile. Dan makes the Mix every year, and lime was a nice variation, if a tad burnt. (recipe on the box)



Deluxe Sugar Cookies to decorate -- I've never had a better tasting sugar cookie. I don't even bother sprinkling the tops with granulated sugar anymore. They're so lovely. (recipe from Betty Crocker, via Mom)



Double Decker Peanut Butter Marbled Meltaway Fudge -- This is a classic "Mom" recipe, and every year I love her more for making it and sharing it with me. It keeps in the freezer forever.



English Toffee (peanuts) -- I made the toffee with peanuts this year, but I'm going back to almonds. The peanuts just didn't have the right stuff. (recipe source unknown)


Herb Biscuits with filling -- vegetarian (not pictured) -- I almost forget to make these most years, but I'm always glad to have the mini rosemary biscuits with vegetarian sandwich filling inside. (recipe from Mom)



Hot Buttered Rum -- Okay, I'll admit it. This mix has been in the freezer since last year. It's still good! Just add rum and boiling water. (recipe here)


Hot Cranberry Tea -- optional: with rum or bourbon (not pictured) -- Last year, I made two batches. I had to do that again this year. Demand is just that great for this stuff. It's good on its own or spiked. It doesn't really quench your thirst (perhaps it's a little too sweet), but it does usually make a person desire a second glass. I vary the spices every year, so it never comes out quite the same as it did the year before. (adapted from a recipe in 365 Foods Kids Love to Eat)



Magnolia Peanut Butterscotch -- This cookie was a big hit last year, so I had to make it again. I must give credit to my sister for informing me a few years ago that butterscotch chips are perfect in peanut butter cookies. She was so right. (recipe here, but add butterscotch chips)



Margarita Cookies -- Here's another recipe that's relatively new. I think this was my second year making these beauties. Rimmed with salt and full of tequila and lime, they're really something. Somehow, they were much more sour this year, which was a good thing. (recipe here)



Midnight Rum Balls (vegan) -- Thank goodness Oreos are "accidentally vegan!" These are a breeze to make, plus they taste good and boozy. I love them, as do a lot of the guests. (recipe here)



Mrs. Fields Cookies (walnuts) -- I don't know... These are great right out of the oven (which is how I served them) but don't store well. I'm still looking for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe (with or without nuts). (recipe from Mom)



Nutella Cranberry Crisps (hazelnut) -- I don't do a lot of recipe development, but I did create these cookies based on a simpler chocolate cookie recipe. I wanted something with Nutella and something using dried cranberries. After a little internet searching, I decided to combine the two, base it all on a recipe that called for melted chocolate (but substitute Nutella) and see how things tasted. I made a couple of test cookies before I stirred in the entire amount of dried cranberries, and found that I was willing to take the plunge. (adapted from this recipe)

10 oz. Nutella brand chocolate hazelnut spread
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or chocolate chips

1 cup all purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Beat in the Nutella. By hand or with lowest speed of a mixer, stir in the flour mixture. Add cranberries and chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Stir to combine.

Scoop the dough up by teaspoons and space mounds of dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time on center rack for 10-12 minutes or until edges are dry. Tops should crack and cookies should spread out quite a bit Let cool on cookie sheets for about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.





Pecan Turtle Bars -- Just plain good. I love you, Mom! (recipe from her, obvs.)



Salty Oatmeal Cookies -- I made these for Tim and Holly's wedding, so they were in danger of being pulled out of cookie party rotation for the year, but they're so "wow," so "something special," I had to make more. Seriously. Do they look boring? They taste great. (recipe here, from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)



Shortbread Jammies - NEW! -- I like to serve at least one cookie that incorporates jam in the recipe. This is an excellent, buttery shortbread, and I loved the jam flavors (quince and mixed berry) that Dan chose at the store. (recipe here, from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)



Snickerdoodles -- Classic. Perfect. Mom's recipe. I'd never have a cookie party without them.



Spicy Cheese Puffs -- These are a popular item, and I'm as much of a fan as the next snacker. I made a quintuple recipe this year and served some at my office holiday party, too. People there didn't seem to catch on to how good they are, which is okay by me. I was happy to take the leftovers home. (recipe source unknown)



Spritz Cookies (contain almond extract) -- My mom gave me an antique aluminum cookie press one year, and I always make colored spritz cookies for the cookie party. This cookie is mostly butter, and is therefore excellent. We miss you, Matthew Nauser! He's their biggest fan. (recipe from Mom)



Triple Ginger Spice Cookies (vegan) -- These cookies are so flavorful, they're almost as good in their vegan permutation (made with applesauce instead of egg and vegan butter substitute) as they are in their intended form. That said, if you don't have to make the vegan substitutions, they turn out quite a bit prettier. (recipe here)


Turkey Meatballs (not pictured) -- It may be the Cookie Party, but I know that some of my guests really consider it the Meatball Party. I use the same recipe every time and I usually don't dare deviate (except for using turkey meat). However, this year I ran out of chili powder and substituted cayenne. Surprise! Nothing's sacred! They were still terrific. (recipe from Mom)



Walnut Rum Errors (2 ways) - NEW! I found this recipe in Martha Stewart Living this year, but failed to read it carefully. Because of this, I added all of the chopped walnuts to the batter, but I was actually supposed to reserve some of the walnuts to sprinkle on top of the cookies. What came out of the oven after my error were sticky, brittle, delicate, and prone to shattering. I may have done some swearing at that point. Then, the test batch to which I added extra flour came out hard as rocks. So I tried to make my mistake work, salvaging as many cookies as I could by allowing them to cool completely on the baking sheet (ungreased worked better than parchment- or silpat-covered, I discovered) before transferring them to the cookie rack. And they were, actually and surprisingly, delicious when served at the cookie party, pleasing me and many others with their deep walnut flavor. (recipe, which I failed to follow correctly, here)



World Peace Cookies - NEW! I saw the recipe for these cookies all over the blogosphere in 2009. They seemed so trendy, but I had to try them. And I liked them, though I would have enjoyed them even more if they'd been a little saltier. (recipe here)

Snacks I found on End Tables at my Parents' House:

These wafer-y stick/tube things.



Homemade Almond Bark Pretzels.

I aspire to someday (at least during the holidays) dotting my end tables with snacks in decorative containers, like my mother and grandmother before me.

Make me a liar, why don't you?

Before: I don't like fruitcake. Bleah.




After: Oh, wow. I like fruitcake. This fruitcake, anyway. Who knew?! Again, wow.

Thanks, Renee.

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Updated!

Renee says:

... the reason for your fruitcake about face might be that it's not, strictly speaking, a fruitcake. Panforte (Italian for strong bread) is somewhere between fruitcake and a spicy candy. I've made it every year since I studied in northern Italy, and I find it to be a most superior Christmas snack. Glad you enjoyed it!

So maybe I still don't like fruitcake. But panforte is okay by me.

Merry Christmas Rolls

Many of the family members I've spoken to on the phone today have been celebrating this holiday morning with a breakfast of cinnamon rolls. What are you eating?

At our house, the tradition (which I mentioned here last year) is for Mom to make pecan rolls on Christmas Eve. We eat them warm, with sparkling cider or fizzy grape juice, as we each open one Christmas present that night after (or between) church services.

Leftover Pecan rolls have a place on Christmas morning, too, and are tasty with cocoa or orange juice. We eat more as the rest of the presents are unwrapped and declared over.

My mom's recipe is made with "Tupperware Bread" dough and the glaze from the following Betty Crocker recipe. She does not use the Betty Crocker dough, though you could. I've included Mom's dough recipe after the B.C. version.

Butterscotch Pecan Rolls
from Betty Crocker's Cookbook (1986)
Sweet Roll Dough (recipe below)
1/2 c. + 4 T. margarine or butter, softened (divided)
1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. pecan halves
4 T. corn syrup

Sweet Roll Dough:
1 package regular or quick-acting active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (105 to 115 F)
1/2 c. lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooked)
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. shortening, margarine, or butter, softened
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
3 1/2 to 4 c. all-purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit salt)

For dough:
Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a 2 1/2 qt. bowl. Blend in the milk, sugar, shortening, salt, egg, and two cups of the flour. Stir until smooth, then stir in enough flour from the amount remaining until dough is easy to handle. Turn doough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until elastic and smooth (approx. 5 minutes). Put dough in a greased 2 1/2 qt. bowl. Turn the dough so the greased side is up. At this point, the dough in the greased bowl can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, if you're making the dough ahead of time.

Cover dough and let rise in a warm environment until the dough has doubled (approx. 1 1/2 hours). The dough is ready if an indentation remains when the dough is poked lightly. Punch down and continue with recipe.

Pecan Glaze:
Melt 1/4 c. butter. Into this, stir brown sugar, pecan halves, and corn syrup. Spread in a greased sheet pan, or in greased muffin cups. If too thick to spread, microwave for 30-45 seconds.

Create Rolls:
Using your hands or a rolling pin, flatten the dough (on a lightly floured surface) into a rectangle that measures 15x9 inches. Spread with 4 T. butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle this over the rectangle. Roll up tightly, from the 15" side. Pinch the edge of the roll into itself to seal it well. Stretch the roll so that it is an even size. Cut (Mom uses a little thread) into 1 1/2-inch slices. Place in pan over glaze. Let rise until doubled (approx. 40 minutes).

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake rolls until they are golden brown (approx. 25-30 minutes). Immediately invert the pan over a heatproof serving plate or tray. Let pan remain for a minute or so before removing.

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My mom's Variation -- use this Tupperware Bread Dough instead of Betty Crocker's Sweet Roll dough. You'll only need half of this for the pecan rolls (or iced or glazed cinnamon rolls if you don't like pecans), but you can make two loaves of delicious bread with the other half of the dough.

9 c. flour
4 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2 packages yeast
1 1/2 c. scalded milk
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp salt
2 sticks margarine

Measure the flour into a large Tupperware bowl. Make a well in the center. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs with a fork or whisk. Add sugar and yeast. Stir in milk that has been cooled in the water. Add salt. Blend.

Pour wet ingredients into the well in the center of the flour. DO NOT MIX!!

Seal Tupperware bowl, "burp" it, and set the bowl in a sink full of warm water for 30 minutes. The seal should pop off, but if it pops before 30 minutes are up reseal it and leave it in the warm water for the remainder of the 30 minutes.

Melt 2 sticks of butter. After the 30 minutes are up, add the melted butter to the flour mixture. Mix well, then seal it, burp, and return it to the warm water for another 30 to 40 minutes.

When the seal has popped off the second time, knead 15 to 20 times, adding a little extra flour if you need to.

Divide and shape dough on floured surface -- half goes to 2 rolls of bread; half to pecan rolls. Let rise 15-20 minutes in a greased bread or cake pan. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 30 minutes.

If you'd like to omit the pecans, here's an icing you can use to frost the baked and cooled cinnamon rolls (or use your favorite recipe):
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar
1/8 cup milk or more to thin mixture to desired consistency.

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Whatever you're eating today -- and whether you're celebrating anything I hope you're eating well -- I'm aiming my best wishes at you through this website! Merry Christmas and happy times to us all.

Ah, the delicious aftermath.

(photo by Dan)


(photo by Dan)

My 13th annual Holiday Cookie Party was last night. Once I finish the dishes (which may take a while), I'll get back to regular blogging -- and I'll share recipe links and photos for many of these items.

A number of my friends couldn't make it, but most of those who did attend are among my favorite people in the NYC area. About 50 friends and friendly strangers stopped by over the course of the evening, including two women from across the street, whom I'd never met, who just happened to be outside their home and were invited on a whim by one of my other guests.



(photo by Dan)


Three children were in attendance this year (up from one last year and none the previous 11 years). They were delightful to be around, but I know that the party's evening start time doesn't work for parents whose kids have early bedtimes. Next year, I may have to throw a pre-Cookie Party event for the tots, with an emphasis on decoration, and then I could serve any uneaten creations at the classic evening party.




Cookie Party Menu (2009)

Cookies
1. Black and White Espresso Chip Cookies - NEW!
2. Chocolate Peppermint Snaps - NEW!
3. Chocolate Wakeups
4. Citrus Sizzlers
5. Coconut Joe Froggers (vegan)
6. Cornflake Pecan Honeys - IMPROVED!
7. Deluxe Sugar Cookies to decorate
8. Magnolia Peanut Butterscotch
9. Margarita Cookies
10. Mrs. Fields Cookies (walnuts)
11. Nutella Cranberry Crisps (hazelnut)
12. Cocoa Snowflakes (pistachios)
13. Salty Oatmeal Cookies
14. Shortbread Jammies - NEW!
15. Snickerdoodles
16. Spritz Cookies (contain almond extract)
17. Triple Ginger Spice Cookies (vegan)
18. Walnut Rum Errors (2 ways) - NEW!
19. World Peace Cookies - NEW!


Bar Cookies and Other Sweets
20. Boy Scout Bars
Buttermilk Bacon Pralines - NEW!
Double Decker Peanut Butter Marbled Meltaway Fudge
English Toffee (peanuts)
Grapes
Midnight Rum Balls (vegan)
21. Pecan Turtle Bars


Savories
Artichoke Dip and crackers
Baby Carrots and Hummus
Crispix Mix (pistachios) - Lime or Original
Dried Wasabi Peas
Herb Biscuits with filling (vegetarian)
Peanuts
Spicy Cheese Puffs
Turkey Meatballs
Veggie Booty


Beverages
Fair Trade Hot Cocoa
Hot Buttered Rum
Hot Cranberry Tea (optional: with rum or bourbon)
Milk, Water, Assorted Teas
Wine (thanks to all the people who brought wine!)

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If you attended, leave a comment letting me know what your favorite cookie was. And if you took any photos during the party, send them my way.

An Unnecessary Adventure

[I know today should be Poetry Tuesday, but this is an emergency post!]

When the laundry man came to pick up this week's load, the batch of cookies in the oven (Cocoa Snowflakes) had 5 minutes left to bake. I checked the timer and paused the DVD of Miracle on 34th Street.

Moving quickly downstairs with our bag of dirty clothes, I closed the apartment door behind me (so the cat wouldn't get out). In my hurry, I had not taken anything with me -- no keys, no wallet, no phone. And when I heard the door click shut, I thought, "Oh. I hope the apartment door's not locked. That would be bad."

It was. Locked. And bad.

Dan was scheduled to be at soccer for another 1-2 hours. The cookies had 3 minutes left to bake. The downstairs neighbor was in the shower (I could hear it running) and didn't have keys or share a window. I could get on the fire escape from the downstairs apartment, if I waited for the shower to end (and allowed a decent interval for the shower-er to get dressed), but I was 90% sure our windows were all locked. I keep them that way so no one can get into our apartment from the fire escape.

These thoughts zooming through my head, I gave the laundry man the laundry and double-checked my apartment door. Still locked. Friends who hold on to a spare set of keys for us live nearby, but I had no shoes. I thought about shouting after the laundry man and asking him for a ride to the spare key holders' home. All options seemed terribly embarrassing.

I had to do it.

I pulled out my messy "baking" ponytail (I hadn't showered yet) hoping the hair might fall in such a way that it would hide my identity), unlocked the building's front door from the inside (in case I had to come back with no keys, as I didn't even know if our friends would be in), and ran 4 blocks barefoot to their house, feeling -- and probably looking -- like a crazy person (uncombed hair, no shoes or socks, dirty glasses, etc.). I rang the doorbell forcefully -- twice. I was hoping someone would be home, but not irretrievably asleep.

After that second ring, the door was opened. Rescued, I breathlessly, briefly explained my situation. I was promptly loaned sneakers and given my spare keys, at which point I ran/walked home, breathing hard, stopping only to explain to my next-door neighbor what had happened (apparently, I frightened his wife when I ran by on my trip out, unshod and shouting something about my apartment).

With the spare keys, I re-entered my home. The apartment smelled like cocoa and orange. The oven timer was blinking 00:00. The cat (and Miracle on 34th Street) waited patiently.

My feet are cold. My lungs hurt. My eyes are watering. My dear friends were rudely awakened. But the cookies may still be edible. They're cooling now.

And that is what matters.

Unwrap and Serve

Potable and Comestible Christmas Presents Received, 2008

1. Alaskan Kelp Pickles
2. Pike Place Market Chai
3. Farmer's Popcorn Cob (pops on the cob!)
4. Caramel Apple Chocolates
5. Spirited Cherries
6. Pickled Baby Corn
7. Gettysburg Cherry Balsamic Grilling Sauce
8. Lemon Gibralters
9. Cutler Cyrus' Original Ammo-Pak Cartridge Candy, Musket Ball Candy, and Black Powder Candy
10. Assorted chocolates, candies, trail mix and candy bars (in stocking)
11. Blueberry Green Tea
12. Raspberry Fruit Infusion tisane

Thank y0us to: A, M, R, Mom, and Dad

Merry Christmas!

The tree wasn't as big as in years past, but there were still plenty of Christmas traditions to enjoy this morning. To name a few:



Hot chocolate in Christmas mugs (we added a spoon of fair trade Moroccan Mint cocoa to each Swiss Miss instant packet's contents).




Warm, Mom-made cinnamon rolls.




Cats.


If today was a holiday for you, I hope it was a happy and delicious one!