Happy New Year- Christmas Cookie Recap

Happy 2009!! I for one, am VERY excited for this year and all the great things it will bring... I know it is going to be a great one. Sorry for my long absence. I was a very lucky girl this year, as Santa brought me a shinny new laptop for Christmas!! I absolutely love it... but did not have a USB cord for my camera to retrieve my photos. (hence the blog break). Last night I finally broke down & stole a cord ..opps I mean borrowed one from my Dad..and am finally back in action. :)

Since I haven't blogged in a while, I thought I would recap two of my favorite cookies from this years Holiday Cookie Batch.

The first is my Grandma's Ginger Snaps. Oh my goodness are these painfully good. Just looking back at the recipe and photos, makes me want to whip up a batch asap. (It also makes a ridiculous amount of cookies... you could probably squeeze about 60 out of this recipe)

The second recipe is from a dear family friend's cook book. Christmas Oatmeal Cookies... a lovely oatmeal cookie, with a candy cane twist.

Grandma's Gingersnaps

3/4 c vegetable shortening (I didn't have any, so I substituted butter & it worked great)

1 c sugar

1/4 c molasses

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together sugar and shortening (or butter). Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger & baking soda. Then add to sugar mixture, gradually. Roll into small balls, then roll in sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes (1o for softer cookies, 15 for crispier cookies) on greased cookie sheet.

Christmas Oatmeal Cookies- by Stephanie T.

1 c butter softened

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 c quick rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 crushed candy canes

* Sugar for dipping

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg & beat well. Combine flour, soda & cinnamon in seperate bowl. Blend into butter mixture. Stir in oats & vanilla. Chill dough for 1 hour or more. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease several cookie sheets & drop dough by rounded teaspoons. Grease the bottom of a small glass, dip in sugar and press gently on each cookie..flattening it to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Re-sugar glass for each cookie. Top with crushed candy canes (about 1 tsp per cookie) and press in lightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy.

OH, one more fabulous thing... My cousin Honeymuffin highly recommended a Molton Chocolate Cake recipe, on her blog, from Bon Appetit. I made it for Christmas Dinner... WOW is all I can say. Please make this recipe.. it is super easy for dinner parties and it truly was a huge hit. I unfortunately did not take any photos, but here is the recipe. Also please see Lynne's post for her photos and her terrific blog.

Molten Chocolate Cakes (adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2001)
Makes 6.

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
10 TBS unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450.

Butter or spray six ¾ cup (6 oz.) ramekins. Stir chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs and egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Whisk in sugar, then chocolate mixture and flour. Divide batter equally among ramekins.(only fill 3/4 of the way full) **Can be made ahead! Just cover and chill.

Bake cakes 11 minutes – sides will be set, but center may remain soft-looking. Might take a few minutes longer for refrigerated batter.