The cousins

It's always chaos trying to get pictures of the four together. Someone is always doing something else or looking the wrong way! Here's Christmas 2008's attempt!

waiting for santa

guess who is in position waiting for Santa??? We keep checking Norad to see where he is and if he's near.

waiting for santa

guess who is in position waiting for Santa??? We keep checking Norad to see where he is and if he's near.oh and she's requested that we sleep downstairs tonight so that she can better watch for him.

This year's cookies!

Cherry WHites
Cherry whites...formerly known as Cranberry white chocolate cookies

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S Premium White Baking Chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries



PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour; mix well.
STIR in chopped chocolate and cranberries. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each ball of dough slightly.
BAKE 10 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Old Fashioned Shortbreads
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (use salted)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter until pale.
2. Add sugar gradually and beat until well dissolved.
3. Add flour, one half cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Divide dough in half. Form into logs about 2” in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and chill until firm. (Dough can last in the fridge for up to 3 days and up to 3 months in the freezer if properly stored. Let refrigerated dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Frozen dough should be left at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.)
5. Preheat oven to 300F.
6. Slice dough 1/4" thick. Place 1/2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.

Double Chocolate Brownies
Follow traditional brownie box direction but add 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup white chocolate chips. After cooled cut into bite size pieces and then drizzle melted chocolate chips and sprinkle with crushed peppermint pieces

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar, sifted
• 1 cup brown sugar, sifted
• 8 ounces melted butter
• 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• hershey's kisses, one for each cupcake
  

Gingerbread cookies

I used a regular box for gingerbread and followed the soft gingerbread cookie option. I rolled the dough into balls and then rolled in sugar. Follow with drizzled dark chocolate after cookie has cooled.

Molten brownie cakes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a cupcake tins greased and floured, insert one kiss into each cup and bake for 20 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

Spritz dough sliced cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. vegetable shortening
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 lg. egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1. With electric mixer at high speed, cream butter, shortening until soft.2. Add sugar gradually, continuing to cream, about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add in 3 additions by hand or with electric mixer; mix well after each addition; dough will be stiff.
5. Shape dough into 2 rolls; wrap in plastic film, foil or waxed paper; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
6. Slice from dough and bake 7-8 minutes at 375 degrees or until just staring to turn light golden around edges, being careful not to overbake.

Peanut Butter Kisses
Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 18 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine sugar, peanut butter, and egg.
3. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. NOTE: If dough is too sticky, refrigerate 1/2 hour or until easy to handle.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine sugar, peanut butter, and egg.
3. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. NOTE: If dough is too sticky, refrigerate 1/2 hour or until easy to handle.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.

Let it snow!!!

It snowed last night!!! not much of anything but enough to make the kids excited!! My hands were shaking as I took the pictures...I was so cold! haha