12 Days of Cookies! Day 2: Almond Snowballs

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup butter, softened 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
Parchment paper
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 20 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

2. Process almonds in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely ground.

3. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. (Dough will be crumbly.)

4. Combine flour, salt, and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.

5. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

6. Bake at 325° for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Roll cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

12 Days of Cookies! Day 1: Classic Chewy Gingerbread Molasses Cookies

I couldn't think of a better cookie to kick-off our 12 days of cookies until CHRISTMAS!!!  This cookie always puts me in the Holiday spirit with it's spicy chewy ginger center & sugary outside....YUM! 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2.       In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

3.       Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

The only cookie I wouldn't eat.....

The only thing more appropriate for us to be this Halloween than a cookie is a stuffed cookie! Who knew one of the cheapest & easiest costumes to make would be so perfect! All that is required is two large pieces of cardboard, scissors, string and some dark brown and black paint to make the cookie and white shirts and leggings to make the stuffing. And voila....homemade Oreo DIY cookie costume!

Fresh Caramel Apple Cake

This recipe is from Paula Deen and it is quite delish!! Super moist and tender and packed with awesome flavor! No better way to start the summer off right!

Cake:
Butter (for greasing pan)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled apples and finely chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans


Sauce:
1/2 (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Generously grease a tub pan.  For the cake, in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, and mix well.  Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.  Pout batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean.  About 1 1/2 hours.  Shortly before the cake is done,  make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 1 minute.  Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from  the oven.  Let stand for an hour, then turn onto the rack to cool completely.  

Buttermilk Lemon Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream

I love using buttermilk in recipes.  It adds this great tangy flavor and lightens a recipe up quite a bit as well. I was looking for a dessert for a summer BBQ and this one was perfect! After a day of indulgent gaucamole and chips, hot dogs and burgers, this light dessert was the perfect finish!

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar (divided)

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup meyer lemon juice & zest

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)

1/8 tsp salt

3 egg whites

Heavy Whipping Cream

Assorted Berries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Blend buttermilk, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, flour, butter, and salt in blender until smooth. Transfer buttermilk mixture to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold buttermilk mixture into whites in 3 additions (batter will be runny).

Pour batter into prepared dish. Place dish in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of dish. Bake until entire top is evenly browned and cake moves very slightly in center but feels slightly springy to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove dish from roasting pan.

Cool cake completely in baking dish on rack. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours. Spoon pudding cake out into shallow bowls. Pour cream around cake. Top with berries.

Walnut Raisin Avocado Bread

I totally lucked out and married into a family that owns an avocado grove….free avocados!! Best present ever! But sometimes even I can only eat so much guacomole & turkey avocado sandwiches. This recipe is a total hit! The raisins and walnuts add great flavor and crunch to this recipe and served with a little cream cheese frosting will be sure to impress!

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 7/8 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe avocado
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the mashed avocado. Stir in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk until just mixed. Fold in the chopped walnuts, raisins and orange zest. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.

3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow loaves to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes before removing.