White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

When I was in college a good friend of mine made these cookies.  Marie is an amazing baker and loves chocolate!   She was always fattening me up with some sort of delicious baked good.  On this particular occasion she sent me home with a small plate of these beautiful cookies.  On my drive home I decided to sample one.  Before I made it home the ENTIRE plate was gone!  Whoops.  Ever since then these have been an absolute love.  I make these for parties, neighbors, holidays, or just because I'm craving them.  I have yet to meet someone who doesn't LOVE them the way I do.  This is one of those recipes my mom always asks me to make when she visits me.

ingredients

• 8 ounces white baking bar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 3 ounces white baking bar
• 1/2 teaspoon shortening
• 
  

directions

1. Chop 4 ounces of the white baking bar; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 ounces white baking bar over low heat while stirring constantly; cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and melted white baking bar until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the 4 ounces of chopped white baking bar.

3. Drop dough from a rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

4. About 1 hour before serving, melt the raspberry jam in a small saucepan over low heat. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto the top of each cookie. In a heavy small saucepan combine the 3 ounces white baking bar and shortening. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted mixture. If necessary, refrigerate cookies about 15 minutes to firm chocolate. Makes about 48 cookies.

Make-Ahead Tip:Bake the cookies as directed; cool completely. Do not add jam and melted mixture. Place cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Before serving, thaw for 15 minutes. Decorate as directed.

Beacon Hill Cookies

These are my husband's FAVORITE cookies.  His mom makes these and everyone in the family loves them!  She told me that years ago when she was first married, she ripped this recipe out of a magazine in a waiting room and it has been a favorite ever since.  I have made these cookies several times, but my husband always tells me they aren't as good as how his mom makes them. :)  Even if I follow the recipe to a T food is always better at Mom's house.

Now these are a meringue cookie - so no flour, no butter.  Just egg whites and sugar basically.  The beating process takes about 10 minutes...so it is easier to use a stand mixer than a hand mixer - but a hand mixer will do the trick too!  And don't let the meringue scare you - these are chewy delicious, chocolately cookies!

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip pieces (chocolate chips or chopped both work)

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup angel flake coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Melt your chocolate - either in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring in between each increment, or in a double broiler.  Set aside to cool.

Using a stand, or hand mixer - beat eggs whites and salt until frothy.  Gradually add the sugar, beating well in between each addition.  Beat until mixture forms stiff peaks.

Add vinegar and vanilla and beat again.  The entire beating process will take you about 10 minutes (a little less if using a stand mixer.)

Fold in coconut and nuts.  Add chocolate and gently fold in until no more white is showing.  Do not stir.  Just gently fold it in.

These are a delicate cookie, so make them small.  Drop them by the teaspoon onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Yield: 24 cookies

Raspberry Pretzel Squares

Several years ago I got this recipe from a friend.  I had had this dish at a baby shower and loved it.  I jotted it down on a piece of paper and stuffed it in my recipe box.  That fall I pulled out the recipe an planned to make it at Thanksgiving dinner.  During my haste in jotting down the recipe I was a little unclear about a few of the instructions, so I winged it.  It turned out DELICIOUS!!!  Later on I'll tell you which mess up because a HUGE success.  I'll never make it the original way again, because my screw up was so darn yummy!

Since that mess up several years ago this has become a Thanksgiving side dish tradition. It sounds strange, but trust me - this dish is so so yummy!  I ALWAYS get compliments on it and it is always the first thing to go!  People always comment that they could eat just the crust and do without the jello and cool whip - that's how good my mistake is!

2 2/3 Cups Chopped Pretzels

1 1/2 Cubes Butter

12 oz Cream Cheese

1 1/4 Cups Sugar

1 large package of frozen raspberries

3/4 Carton Cool Whip

1 large package of strawberry Jello

2 Cups Pineapple Juice

1. Cream Cream Cheese and Sugar, set aside.

2. Mix pretzels and butter, press into a 9x13 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

3. Fold the cream cheese mixture and baked pretzels together.  Spread into an even layer in the bottom of the 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  (This was a mess up!  The original recipe instructions said to fold the cool whip and cream cheese mixture together and spread over the pretzel crust.  Trust me - the combo of the cream cheese and pretzels is AMAZING and so much tastier than the original recipe.  Because the pretzels are baked they don't get soggy.)

4. Spread cool whip over the top and chill.

5. Dissolve jello in hot pineapple juice, add the frozen berries and let it set up slightly. Pour over the top of the cool whip and refrigerate.
6.  When jello is completely set you are ready to serve.  I usually make mine the night before.

Turkey Tortilla Soup

If you are like me, you like Thanksgiving leftovers...but you don't like eating turkey sandwiches for a week.  The last few years I have whipped up this soup and it has always been gobbled (pun intended) up!  I adapted this recipe from a chicken taco soup recipe that a friend from San Diego created.

Turkey Tortilla Soup

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 TBSP olive oil

1 14 oz can tomato sauce

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1 jalapeno, diced

1 zucchini, cubed

1 carrot, cubed

1 TBSP cumin

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 LB cooked turkey, shredded (If it isn't the day after Thanksgiving and you're craving this soup - try using a rotisserie chicken)

2 cups chicken broth

juice from 1 lime

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

In a stock pot, heat oil and add onions and garlic.  Cook until onions are translucent and soft.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Boil until carrots are tender, then reduce heat to simmer.  Serve with tortilla strips, cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

Homemade Tortilla Strips

3 corn tortillas

olive oil

kosher salt

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Brush tortillas with olive oil using a pastry brush and cut into strips.  The easiest and fastest way is to cut them with a pizza cutter.  Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam and bake for about 10 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Give them a toss halfway through.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

I've enjoyed this little appetizer since I was a kid.  Our next door neighbor growing up is SUCH a good cook, and I remember her making these for special occasions - New Years Eve, Christmas, etc.  They were always a favorite, so naturally my mom asked her for the recipe...and in turn I asked my mom for the recipe the first time I had to make an appetizer for a party.  EVERY TIME I make these they are the first thing to be eaten up.  I have never saved any of these as leftovers, because there are never any left to save!

I have shared this recipe time and time again, and it is so terribly easy that it will surprise you.  It will make your house smell pretty much like heaven, and your guests will feel like they are in heaven when they eat them.  These were lovingly called pockets of love by a few of my friends from San Diego.  They requested I make them every Christmas.  Even my vegetarian friend would eat a few, ha ha!

So - make these this Christmas for a party, or just for yourself!  You won't regret it.

1 1/2 pounds bacon

2 cans whole water chestnuts

1 cup barbeque sauce

1 cup honey

toothpicks

Cut your bacon in half.  Wrap each water chestnut with bacon and secure it with a toothpick.  Place in a 9x13 cake pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Combine barbeque sauce and honey and whisk to combine.  Drizzle over water chestnuts.

Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until bacon begins to crisp.

Serve warm.

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

 These are soooooooooooooooo yummy!  I have been seriously addicted to these lately...for lunch, for dinner...I think Jim is getting sick of them.  These freeze really well so they are a great meal to make ahead and pop into the oven when you are in a rush.

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
3 TBSP cilantro, chopped
2 TBSP green onions, chopped
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese (I've also done cheddar and it turned out fine)
about 15 small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat over to 425, line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine cream cheese, salsa, chili powder, cumin, garlic, cilantro, and green onions.  Stir in cheese and chicken.

Wrap your tortillas in a wet paper towel and place them in the microwave for about a minute and 15 seconds to soften them.  Work fast and add a few tablespoons of the mixture to each tortilla and roll up. Place seam down onto your baking sheet.  After all tortillas are filled spray the tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes until edges are golden.

Dip them in salsa, guacamole, or sour cream...or all 3. :)

Desi's Chicken Pot Pie

My sweet friend Desi brought me this homemade chicken pot pie after I had Blake.  It was soooo good and I craved it for weeks after we ate it.  I finally made one using her recipe and have made it time and time again.  I've served it to guests, I've brought it to sick friends, or friends who just had babies, and everyone has loved it.  The recipe makes two pies - so it is perfect for giving one away, or for freezing one.

Crust
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/3 cups shortening
ice water

Combine dry ingredients and add shortening.  Cut in using a pastry blender until the crumbles are the size of peas.  Add water (It usually takes about 1 cup for me) and continue to cut with your pastry blender until the dough pulls away from the sides.  Cut until it forms a ball.

Divide into 4 parts and roll out on floured board.  Dough will make the top and bottom of two pies.

Filling
1 cup butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup red potatoes, chopped (pretty thin)
1 cup russet potatoes, chopped (pretty thin)
1/2 cup flour
15 oz chicken broth
1 TBSP chicken bullion granuals
1 cup frozen peas
meat from one rotisserie chicken
1 cup cream
salt to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes.  Cook until onions are translucent.  Add flour, bullion and salt, stir and cook over medium for a few minutes.  Add broth, peas, and chicken.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add cream, remove from heat and ladle into pie crust.

Bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes until golden.