Christmas Is The Time For Love... And Baking!

**Update: I think I figured out the picture posting issue I was having... we shall see if it worked!*** 

Yeah, still figuring this whole blogging thing out... sorry for almost a week since my last post. And only one recipe so far. I might just totally suck at this... But I'm gonna do it anyway! ;) Oh, and I can't get my pictures from my phone to my computer, so I'll have to update the pics onto the blog later... sorry. :/

So every year at Christmastime, my mom, Sophie and I have a whole day (sometimes even a weekend) of baking and treat making. It's fun, and we usually have too many cookies and crap to even know what to do with when we're done! This year is no exception, and tomorrow we will be going at it, baking sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, coconut cream macaroons, graham cracker squares (an old family favorite that I've not seen anywhere else...) , magic bars, and snowball cookies. Fat kid's dream, am I right?!

I actually started today by making a double recipe (6 pounds!!) of fudge! I use the recipe on the back of the marshmallow cream jar. It's the best, and pretty easy. Here is is for your easy access:

Classic Fantasy Fudge

6cups sugar

3 sticks butter

2 small cans (5 oz each.) evaporated milk (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)

2 12 oz. bags Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips

2 jars (7 oz. each) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme

2 tsp. vanilla

Line 9 x 13 pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil (I use a dutch oven type pot) on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. (or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F... I don't use one, I just time it) stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into squares. This makes a TON of fudge...

Coconut Cream Macaroons

1/3 cup butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract (or almond, if you like that sort of thing...)

2 tsp. orange juice

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

5 cups sweetened coconut, divided

Beat Butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Add egg yolk, vanilla and OJ, beat well.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 3 cups coconut.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm enough to handle.

Heat Oven to 350*. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Roll balls in the remaining 2 cups of coconut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet

Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Cool 1-2 minutes, then carefully move them to a wire cooling rack.

I drizzle it with chocolate ganache. For that, take about 1 cup of chocolate chips that have been melted in the microwave with a couple tablespoons of sugar and a splash of milk, and put it in a ziplock baggie. Snip a tiny bit of the corner of the baggie off , and drizzle over the cookies. 

You could also press an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss into each cookie (Like the peanut butter blossoms cookies) as soon as they come out of the oven, instead of doing the drizzle... either way is delish!

Makes about 4 dozen.

Here are some of our other recipes that we've been using for years (most of them since I was little, and even since my parents were kids...

MEXICAN WEDDING CAKES

1 cup Butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups flour

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together

Slowly add flour, dough will be stiff

Roll dough into walnut size balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 400*

Bake 10 minutes, just until set but not brown. Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar while warm. After they are completely cool, roll a second time.

*This recipe needs to be doubled because they are so good and one recipe is not enough!

GRAHAM CRACKER SQUARES

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

a pinch of salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix everything together, it will be VERY thick! Spread in a very well greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes, you will want them just light brown and soft. Can be doubled for a 9x13 pan. Cool and cut.

SUGAR COOKIES (This one makes a TON of cookies!)

Cream together WELL:

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening (I use butter flavored)

1 cup sugar

Add: (beat together)

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine dry ingredients:

4 cups flour

2 Tablespoons baking POWDER

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Gradually add dry to wet, mix well. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight.. Work with "fist" size handfuls. Roll out onto floured surface. If dough is sticky just knead in small amounts of flour. Cut into shapes and place on cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 350*

Bake 7-8 minutes to start, increase time if needed. Cookies should be set and a tiny bit golden on bottom edges. Remove carefully to cooling rack. Frost/decorate when completely cool.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Combine dry ingredients in bowl:

4 cups Flour

2 teaspoons Ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl (largest mixer bowl) beat 3/4 cup shortening about 30 seconds

Add 1 CUP Brown sugar; beat til fluffy

Add:

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

2 Tablespoons vinegar

Gradually add flour mixture, blend well. Dough will be stiff!

Work with small amount; roll onto floured surface about 1/8" thick. Gently lift to greased cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 375*

Bake ONLY 5-6 minutes, until just set. Cookies will set as they cool. Cool slightly before removing from sheets as they will break if too soon.

This is our FAVORITE gingerbread recipe ~ frost/decorate and ENJOY!

I hope you all enjoy these Christmas baking traditions as much as our family!