Month: December 2014

Almond Bark Pretzels

Almond-Bark-PretzelsToday’s recipe is so easy that it’s almost not even a recipe. Every year we have the kids make it on our cookie day.  They love dipping the pretzels in the almond bark and picking them out with tongs or forks.  Everyone loves the salty and sweet taste of this traditional christmas treat. So let’s get started melting our almond bark.

First you melt 1 (24 oz.) block of almond bark in a microwave safe bowl.

almond bark

melted almond bark Now dip your pretzels in the white almond bark.

dipping pretzelsThen pick them out of the almond bark with tongs or forks and set them on wax paper to dry.  

dropping pretzelsAnd that’s it!  I told you this recipe was easy. This recipe also freezes well so you can enjoy them at a later time. 

Almond Bark Pretzels

Ingredients

  • 1 (24 oz.) package of white almond bark
  • 1 bag of pretzels

Instructions

  1. First you melt 1 (24 oz.) block of almond bark in a microwave safe bowl. Now dip your pretzels in the white almond bark. Then pick them out of the almond bark with tongs or forks and set them on wax paper to dry.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/12/22/almond-bark-pretzels/

Colleen’s Candy

colleen's-candy

Every year my family has a cookie baking day at my mom’s house.  We make six types of cookies each year.  We make Colleen’s Candy, Almond Bark Pretzels, Star Cookies,  Spritz Cookies, Cut-Out Sugar Cookies, and Carmel Chocolate Swirl Fudge.  We have varied the cookies some years by deleting some and adding others, but for the most part the list has stayed the same for about 15 years.  We have a master list of ingredients we use to buy the supplies for this cookie making day.  I will feature each of the six cookie recipes over the next few days and I will post the master ingredients list with the last cookie post.  The cookie I am featuring today is Colleen’s Candy.  This has been a favorite recipe for many years.  We love the peanut butter taste, and who can go wrong with Rice Krispies and marshmallows.  This recipe is so easy to make!  If you are going to a cookie exchange or an office party, you can whip up a batch of this wonderful candy in no time.  And, if you have kids, they will love to help drop the cookies on the wax paper. 

The ingredients you will need are 1 (24 oz.) package of white almond bark, 1 cup of smooth peanut butter, 3 cups of miniature marshmallows, and 5 cups of Rice Krispies.

ingredients for colleen's candyIn a large microwave safe bowl melt your 1 package of white almond bark and then add your 1 cup of smooth peanut butter to your melted almond bark.

adding peanut butter to candy

 Stir in the peanut butter until it is fully mixed.

stirring peaut butter

 Next stir in 3 cups of miniature marshmallows.

adding marshmallows to candy

Then add the 5 cups of Rice Krispies.

rice krispies

 Stir it all together.

final mix

Now with two spoons drop the cookies on to wax paper that you have spread out on your table or kitchen counter. 

dropping colleen's candy on wax paper

Then let the cookies dry on the waxed paper for about an hour.  After that, you can pick them off the wax paper and put them in containers for storage.  This recipe freezes very well so we make them and put them in the freezer so they are ready for your holiday events or gifts. 

Colleen’s Candy

Ingredients

  • 1 (24 oz.) package of white almond bark
  • 1 cup of peanut butter
  • 3 cups of miniature marshmallows
  • 5 cups of Rice Krispies

Instructions

  1. In a large microwave safe bowl melt your 1 package of white almond bark and then add your 1 cup of smooth peanut butter to your melted almond bark. Stir in the peanut butter until it is fully mixed. Next stir in 3 cups of miniature marshmallows. Then add the 5 cups of Rice Krispies. Stir it all together. Now with two spoons drop the cookies on to wax paper that you have spread out on your table or kitchen counter. Then let the cookies dry on the waxed paper for about an hour. After that, you can pick them off the wax paper and put them in containers for storage. This recipe freezes very well so we make them and put them in the freezer.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/12/19/colleens-candy/

Christmas Gift Tags


christmas Gift Tags Today I have a new free Christmas printable just for you! This is a cute printable to dress up your Christmas food gifts. The free printable tags come in 6 designs. Just in time for your cookie baking.  All you have to do to make these tags is print them out on white card stock, cut them out, and attach them to your gift.  You can punch a hole in the top and hang them on your gift or you can put your cookies in a quart mason jar and attach the tag to the top.  I have also added a banner on the tag where you can write your name. It is so easy!  Your friends, neighbors, and family will be so happy when you give them these wonderful homemade gifts from your kitchen.

christmas tag on jar

christmas tag on bag joy tagChristmas-tags-1
                                                       Click Here to Print Gift Tags

It takes a few minutes for the gift tags to come up on your screen after you click it since it is a large file.

 

Peanut Butter Cookies

peanut butter cookie

If you’re looking for a great peanut butter cookie recipe, here’s one you should try. This recipe makes twenty soft, thin and flavorful cookies that would make a great gift to someone for the holidays.  These cookies are easy to make and odds are you have all of the ingredients in your cupboard.  So let’s get out the peanut butter and whip up a batch of this delicious cookie.

Get out a large mixing bowl and put in the 1/2 cup of softened butter.   You need to set the butter out on the counter for at least an hour before you start the cookies. Then put in the 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter and mix them together.

mixing butter and peanut butter

 Next pour in the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.

mixing in sugar

 Add the 1/2 cup of brown sugar.  Cream the sugar into the peanut butter mixture.

brown sugarAdd one egg.

eggMix in the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.

vanillaNow set the bowl with the peanut butter mixture to the side and get out a new bowl to mix the dry ingredients in.  Measure the flour, the salt, and the baking soda into the bowl.

flourAdd the flour mixture into the peanut butter batter.  

mixing in flourFor each cookie, scoop out a spoonful of batter onto a cookie sheet that has been greased or has parchment on it.  Leave lots of room around each cookie, because they will spread out.  Note: If you use parchment, the cookies spread out less leaving the cookies a little thicker than if you have a grease cookie sheet.  

spooning on battter

Before you put the cookies in the oven, mark them with the back of a fork.  Make criss-cross marks on each cookie.

putting fork marks on cookies

Now let the cookies bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  The cookies spread out when cooked and they end up very flat.  When they come out of the oven, they will be very soft so let them cool on the pan for a little bit before transfering them to a wire rack.  In the two pictures below you can see how they spread out more on a greased pan and how they spread out less on parchment paper. 

 baked cookies on greased pan

 

cookies on parchment paper

 As they cool, they will become crisp.

cookies on rack 2

 Now you are ready to enjoy your cookies with a glass of cold milk.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of softened butter
  • 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Instructions

  1. Get a large mixing bowl and put in the 1/2 cup of softened butter. You need to set the butter out on the counter for at least an hour before you start the cookies. Then put in the 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter and mix them together. Next pour in the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into the peanut butter mixture. Add the 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Cream the sugar into the peanut butter mixture. Add one egg. Mix in the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Now set the bowl with the peanut butter mixture to the side and get out a new bowl to mix your dry ingredients in. Measure the flour, the salt, and the baking soda into the bowl. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter batter. For each cookie, scoop out a spoonful of batter onto a cookie sheet that has been greased or has parchment on it. Leave lots of room around each cookie, because they will spread out. Note: If you use parchment, the cookies spread out less leaving the cookies a little thicker than if you have a grease cookie sheet. Before you put the cookies in the oven, mark them with the back of a fork. Make criss-cross marks on each cookie. Now let the cookies bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The cookies spread out when cooked and they end up very flat. When they come out of the oven, they will be very soft so let them cool on the pan for a little bit before transfering them to a wire rack. In the two pictures below you can see how they spread out more on a greased pan and how they spread out less on parchment paper. As they cool, they will become crisp.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/12/04/peanut-butter-cookies/