PROJECT SECRET SANTA: Four Cookie Recipes You'll Want to Make {FREEBIES}

As part of PROJECT SECRET SANTA, I reached out to some of my favorite bakers and asked them to share some secrets and recipes to help all of you with your holiday gifting and baking.

Today, I've got some amazing recipes from one of my blog buddies, Stacy from Scrumptious Swirls.  I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Martha Stewart Blogger Event back in August and to say that she's as sweet as the confections she conjures up would be an understatement.  Stacy is extremely talented and a nice person to boot which is why I love her so much.  And you won't believe the divine things she comes up with!  I mean really, how super duper cute are these Oreo Marshmallow Snowmen?

LOVE!  Okay, let's turn over this post to Stacy and her fabulous sweets.

I absolutely love baking during the Holidays and enjoy giving tins of cookies as gifts to my daughter’s teachers, my hair stylist, neighbors & family.  I also enjoy cookie exchange parties!  I hosted my first last year and I thoroughly enjoyed tasting my friends sweet treats and learning of some new cookies.  So here are four of my favorite recipes to get your holiday baking started!   

BISCOTTI
Biscotti is such a great cookie to make especially during the holidays because it makes for great gifts!  They're perfect with your morning coffee or your evening tea.

This recipe comes from the website Allrecipes.com.  You can chop nuts into this recipe, and instead of the anise extract add almond flavoring or maybe some vanilla.  Some biscotti recipes can be challenging or intimidating…this one is not at all!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon anise extract, or 3 drops anise oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).  Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder, and stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough.  Divide dough into two pieces.  Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slices should be lightly toasted.

RUGELACH

This is my favorite cookie!  Not so easy but the end result is AMAZINGLY SCRUMPTIOUS to say the least!  Just remember - they don't have to be perfect.  Honestly, it took me a few times making these to get the hang of making them pretty but the taste not matter what is the best!!

This recipe is also from Allrecipes.com and if you haven't made Rugelach before, read the comments at the bottom for some tricks!

Make sure you chill the dough over night!  The recipe says 2 hours, but I tried that once and it didn’t work so well. When it says to wrap each disk, use parchment paper to cover, then wrap the disk in plastic wrap. When you roll again, keep it on parchment paper and roll it with a piece on top. Chop the filling in the food processor too - makes it easier and well blended!

Oh, and I don’t use the raisins - I use Chocolate Chips ;)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:
Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor, pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.

Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks. Wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Roll each disk into a 9-inch round, keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).

Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers and they freeze very well.

Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH SHORTBREAD COOKIES

These are great cookies if you want an alternative to sugar cookies.  I make these in addition at the holidays for my cut out cookies and decorate them!  Again with this cookie, when chilling wrap it in parchment paper, and for easier & cleaner rolling out use parchment paper.

Recipe via Joy of Baking (makes about 20 cookies)

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup of corn starch
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a separate bowl whisk the flour & corn starch with the salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle of the oven.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch (.6 cm) thick circle. Cut into rounds or other shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.)

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Shortbread cookies with keep in an airtight container for about a week or they can be frozen.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO SNOWCAPS
What would a cookie exchange party be with out a Martha Stewart recipe?!

Recipe & notes via Martha Stewart  (makes 18)

These cookies look like little snow-covered mountains. They will keep for up to a week stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Roll each ball in confectioners' sugar twice to make sure it's thoroughly coated and no dark dough is visible.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon milk
Confectioners' sugar, for coating

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings.

Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Thanks, Stacy!  Don't those recipes make your mouth water?  I'm not a baker but even I can't wait to get my hands in some flour to make some of these goodies for friends and family oh, who am I kidding?  For me, me, me!  If you're a better person than I am and want to give your cookies out, Stacy is sharing two free recipe card printables from the lovely ladies at Anders Ruff.  I love the From the Kitchen Of Cards (you can also see them in Stacy's pictures above):

And the blue and white Cookie Exchange Set is adorned with Ric Rac, which was actually inspired by Gabrielle and Alaina's birthday invitation.

A huge thank you to Stacy for sharing these fabulous sweets and the perfect free printables to go along with them.  Be sure to check out Scrumptious Swirls for more wonderful recipes and party ideas!

This feature was written as part of AFOMFT's PROJECT SECRET SANTA to benefit Jack's Toy Drive.  For more information on what it is, go HERE and if you'd like to buy a toy for a hospitalized child this holiday season, please visit the Jack's Toy Drive Amazon Wishlist.  Prices start at just $1.   Help put a smile on the face of a child who needs it this Christmas!

Images: Scrumptious Swirls, Joy of Baking, Martha Stewart & Anders Ruff

PROJECT SECRET SANTA: Homemade Holiday Treats Made Simple

As part of PROJECT SECRET SANTA, I reached out to some of my favorite bakers and asked them to share some secrets and recipes to help all of you with your holiday gifting and baking.

Up first is my friend Tamlyn, who will be launching a new cooking blog called The Weekly Plate in just a few weeks. It will be filled with shopping lists, recipes and meal plans to help you cook healthy, delicious and wallet-friendly meals for your family each and every week.  And let me tell you - this lady knows her sweets!  Lucky for us, she's going to walk us through the treats she makes as holiday gifts.  Take it away, Tamlyn!


THE PACKAGING
You can bet my craft area is overloaded with fun ribbon, candy boxes and all sorts of random goodies from the craft store this time of year.

craft area getting loaded up with goodies!

I love nothing more than making up dozens of homemade treat boxes to mail to friends and family. These are also my go to's to spread holiday cheer to neighbors, our mailman and our local friendly police officers. With a little creativity and some super easy holiday treat recipes that can be made in bulk, you are on your way to creating the perfect homemade holiday gift!

chocolate dipped oreos and rum balls - the perfect little gift!

This year I got really excited over the Martha Stewart holiday packaging collection at Michaels. 

While I know the boxes are "pre-set," I always end up mixing ribbons around and adding my own little touches. Another fun container is the clear paint can. 

Crack crackers... mmmmmm...

With so many different combinations of treats, ribbons and tags, containers and pretty printed parchment paper liners, the possibilities are endless and the results are sure to make feel like a domestic goddess!  The key is to have fun with this.  It is not meant to be stress inducing but a festive way to spend an afternoon. I have done this the last few holiday seasons with girlfriends over at the house. Lots of hands make light work plus how can you go wrong hanging out with friends in the kitchen.

THE SUPPLIES
I had a blast ordering some super fun "disco dust" from Sweet Baking Supply and a great site for buying bulk clear cello packaging is Nashville Wraps.

chocolate covered pretzel sticks with a bit of disco dust to give them an awesome sparkle

For the treats this year I used the 1.65 MIL bags.

Both of these sites are extremely efficient with shipping and I have never been disapointed with their customer service!

THE SWEET TREATS

On the menu this year for bulk candies to make:

Crack Crackers - HEAVEN.  I always have ingredients for this in the house.

Coffee Toffee - make toffee once and you will be hooked!

Rum Balls - try mixing it up with some spiced rum, Kahlua and Malibu.... you will thank me.

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels and Oreos - the key to these are making an assembly line and 5 minutes in the freezer to set them.

chocolate covered oreos with crushed candy cane and sprinkles

As with any "bulk" project, the key is to get all your individual parts done so that the assembly line of putting it all together does not seem so overwhelming.  If making all of these seems like it will be too much, make two of the treats and mix and match. 

a homemade touch..

Just remember that everyone loves something homemade and it is always appreciated and enjoyed so much more.

Enjoy,

Tamlyn

Thanks, Tamlyn, for these great tips on how to achieve some tasty and beautiful homemade holiday treats!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's feature from Stacy at Scrumptious Swirls.

This feature was written as part of AFOMFT's PROJECT SECRET SANTA to benefit Jack's Toy Drive.  For more information on what it is, go HERE and if you'd like to buy a toy for a hospitalized child this holiday season, please visit the Jack's Toy Drive Amazon Wishlist.  Prices start at just $1.   Help put a smile on the face of a child who needs it this Christmas!

PROJECT SECRET SANTA: Peppermint Cookie Exchange {FREEBIE}

We've got another wonderful set of free printables to help you throw your very own PROJECT SECRET SANTA party today! These darling Peppermint Cookie Exchange designs are from Katie from Green Apple Paperie (you probably saw me gushing about her in this post!) and she also shared a recipe for one of her favorite sweet treats. Don't these White Chocolate Chip and Craisin Cookies look divine?

Here's the scoop on how to make them.

White Chocolate Chip and Craisin Cookies (makes 2 dozen)


1/2 cup processed quick oats
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups craisins
Preheat oven to 350 F


Lay parchment paper on baking sheet
-process oats until finely ground
-combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl
-in another bowl, cream butter, sugars, vanilla and lemon together using electric mixer.
-add eggs and beat until fluffy
-stir flour mixture into egg mixture and then add chips and craisins
-drop 1/4 cup mixture onto lined baking sheets
-bake for 13-15 minutes

I cannot wait to give those a try! Package a dozen up with these fabulous gift tags.

PROJECT SECRET SANTA: Circle Tags

And attach the recipe.
PROJECT SECRET SANTA: Peppermint Recipe Cards

And you are good to go!

Thank you Katie, for being a part of PROJECT SECRET SANTA. For more amazing holiday designs from Green Apple Paperie like these gift tags:

,

Be sure to visit the Etsy shop and Facebook page.

You can download the Peppermint Cookie Exchange files through the links above. They were created to benefit PROJECT SECRET SANTA, so please visit Jack's Toy Drive Amazon Wish List and purchase a toy if you haven't already. They start at just $5, which still makes these printables a bargain. Or throw your own cookie exchange party using this set of downloads and ask all of your guests to bring a gift. AFOMFT will provide the shipping label free of charge to get them to the toy drive and you could win a $100 Amex gift card if you collect the most donations! For more information on how PROJECT SECRET SANTA works, go HERE.

Images: Green Apple Paperie

I featured a round up of terrifying sweet treats earlier in GET YOUR GHOUL ON! MONTH, so today I'm going to share some savory dishes you can serve at a spooky soiree or to celebrate with your little ones.

Let's start with something for the kids.  What child wouldn't love a Ghostly Pizza?

You'll have to fight to keep their hands out of Martha Stewart's Dirt and Worms.

And they'll be all about carving into this Mummy Meatloaf from The Knead for Speed!

These Jack-O-Lantern Sandwiches would be perfect for lunch or brunch.

And so would these Ghosts of Monte Cristo sandwiches from Martha Stewart.

Any sandwich would be that much scarier - oops, I mean tastier - with some Eye-Popping Soup.

Add some Snake Breadsticks for an extra fright!

Martha Stewart has some amazing recipes for a buffet for grown up ghouls.   From Black Bat Wings:

And Spinach Ricotta Skulls:

To Guacamoldy and Creature Chips:

And Ladies Fingers and Men's Toes....

These dishes will leave your guests screaming.... for more!

Images: My Recipes, Martha Stewart, The Knead for Speed & Woman's Day

Small & Sweet

It's day nine of GET YOUR GHOUL ON! MONTH and today I'm excited to share a fun fall treat.

You've probably noticed a new trend in desserts lately.  From cake:

To Pop Tarts:

Everything is miniature and on a stick.  I call it The Bakerella Effect.  I know, I know.  She isn't the only one doing mini skewered desserts but her cake pops are everywhere and having a huge influence on how people are re-thinking confections.  And, well, it sounds good.

Personally, I'm all for this wave of tiny treats.  Smaller sweets are great for dessert buffets because it allows guests to sample a lot of different types of yumminess.  Having things on a stick makes them easier to eat, and, let's be honest, makes them look a whole heck of a lot cuter too.  But one more great thing about The Bakerella Effect is that it makes these desserts more appropriate and accessible for kids too.  Doesn't this little lady look like she loves her mini caramel apple?

Yup, you read that right - mini caramel apple!  I was dazzled and slightly perplexed when I saw one for the first time too.  I mean, we all know apples don't come this small, so how on earth did this delightful delicacy come about?  With a melon baller!

So smart!  And simple.  I love that they're so much easier to eat that the messy big ones - especially for little mouths.  And not to worry - after you dip your mini apples into the caramel, you can add your favorite toppings too so that you're not missing out on any of the fun of the full-sized versions.

I know you're dying for your own mini caramel apple right now so to get the full how to, visit Family Fun.

Images: Bakerella, The Family Kitchen & Family Fun

Brains for Breakfast?

For day four of GET YOUR GHOUL ON! MONTH, I'm focusing on some fun Halloween themed breakfast treats.

Learn how to make these spooktacular Spider and Web pancakes at So Wonderful, So Marvelous.

And Family Fresh Cooking has the full recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin pancakes.

You can cook a whole lot of gruesome goodies by following Rachael Ray's recipes for Egg Eyes and Severed Hand Toast.

But don't forget the side of Hash Brains!

Do you have a favorite Halloween breakfast dish?  We want to hear all about it!  And stay tuned for more freaky food ideas her on AFOMFT.

Images: So Wonderful, So Marvelous, Family Fresh Cooking & Rachael Ray

Fave Finds Round Up #2

Here's a little round up of links I shared on the AFOMFT Facebook Fan Page this week, along with a few more bonus treats from the blogosphere.  Enjoy!

1.  Custom Name Pillows from My Two Babes Designs

2.  Pink Lemonade at a Vintage Tea Party from A Very Story Photography

3.  DIY Cake Stands from Our Life Right Now

4.  Cream Pie on a Stick from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

5.  Aloha Dessert Table from Save the Date for Cupcakes

6.  Personalized Muslin Bags from Perideau Designs

7.  Yarn Ball Cupcakes from Sugar & Meringue

8.  PB&J Ice Cream Cone from Grathio Labs

1.  DIY Princess Party Hats from Icing Designs

2.  Elmo Carnival Birthday Party from Rene Takes the Cake

3.  Aloha Cupcakes from Bakerella

4.  Gabrielle & Alaina's Upcycled Second Birthday Dresses and Matching Doll Dresses from Nookie Scooter

1.  Free Back to School Printables from Sugar Stick Parties

2.  Free Sweet Candies Printables from Lil Boo & Co.

3.  Shabby Chic Fairy Party from Party Starters

4.  Butterfly Cake from The Sweetest Occasion

5.  Watermelon Pie from Make & Takes

6.  Paper Flower Centerpieces from Our Life Right Now

7.  Enchanted Fairy Party from Celebrations at Home

8.  Fabric Invitations from Our Life Right Now

So there you have it.  Make sure you're a fan of AFOMFT on Facebook so you don't miss any fun finds, ideas, parties and deals there throughout the week.  What were some of your favorite finds this week?  Post a comment with the link(s) you love too!

Linking up here:

YOU TAKEOVER TUESDAY: Get Your Cook On! {GIVEAWAY}

It's Tuesday which means you takeover.  Today's question comes from Sandra in Tallahassee, Florida.  She e-mailed:

Dear AFOMFT, I have twins (Jacob and Justine) who are around the same age as your girls.  They love to eat and will try almost anything but I feel like I'm in a rut with what I make for them.  I've never been a big cook but I like to make their meals.  Any suggestions for new recipes I can try that are healthy and taste good but are easy for me to make?

Sandra, I totally know where you're coming from with this post.  There was a stretch there when my girls had grilled cheese, chicken fingers, meatballs or pasta almost every day because I knew they loved those foods and they were easy for me to make.  But then I got Top 100 Finger Foods: 100 Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Child and it opened up a whole new world of fun menu options for Gabrielle and Alaina.

Written by children's food expert Annabel Karmel who you may have seen on the Today Show, Top 100 Finger Foods features recipes for tasty and healthy choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack time.  From French Toast Fingers and Tuna Muffin Melts to Carrot and Cheese Muffins and Veggie Burgers, there's something that even the fussiest toddler will love. 

What I really like about the recipes in this book is that while they're "finger friendly" and easy for kids to eat, they're also really hearty and packed with flavor.  Annabel shows you just how easy it is to make delicious dishes like Chinese Glazed Chicken Wings and Minty Lamb Koftas that aren't only good for little ones, but are also so yummy that you may want to make another batch for you and your husband.  The Apple Parcels in particular are so delicious that I can't help but eat them myself and the girls are lucky if there any left for them at all.  And best of all is that the preparation time on most of the recipes is less than 15 minutes and many of them take less than 20 minutes to cook - perfect for busy parents.  The book also includes information on how to freeze large batches so you can just re-heat on busy days.

Sandra, I hope that Top 100 Finger Foods: 100 Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Child helps you find some new easy dishes that become family favorites.  Annabel Karmel has written lots of other great children's cookbooks you may want to check out too.  There's one for fussy eaters:

And another for meals on-the-go:

Food for those new to solids:

And for the entire family:

Want to give some of Annabel's recipes a try?  You're in luck because we've got a copy of Top 100 Finger Foods: 100 Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Child to give away to an AFOMFT reader!

To enter, post a comment here telling me what your child's favorite food is (this is mandatory).  For additional entries:

• Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
• "Like" AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
• Ask your friends to "like" AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who "likes" our page and names will be cross-checked.  
• Follow AFOMFT on Twitter (@AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  #Win "Top 100 Finger Foods: 100 Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Child" by @annabelkarmel @AFOMFT - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - .  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
• Grab our button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Blog or post on Facebook about this giveaway with a link to this post (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and make sure your comments include a link to your status or blog post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. All entries must be posted on AFOMFT as a direct comment to this post.  Comments on Facebook will not count as entries.  This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends July 10th at 11:59 pm EST. The winners will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on July 21st. If the winners don't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

Images: Annabel Karmel