Angel Kisses (Alfajores)

This cookie has a ‘melt in your mouth’ kind of texture, like shortbread. The filling is cooked sweetened condensed milk, also known as dulce de leche, if purchased in a jar. The recipe came from a friendly neighbor, who invited me for coffee when I was a newly wed. I loved the cookies because the filling was just like what we used to spread on our bread when we lived in South America. I found out that they were quite a bit of work to make when I made them for our daughter’s first birthday, so I decided that they would be Christmas cookies and eventually we ended up calling them angel kisses, because we did not know the real name.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soft butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups cornstarch
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• flaked coconut

Method:

1. Put unopened can of sweetened condensed milk, standing up, in a pot of water, water coming up about 3/4 of the way. Bring water to boil and simmer for 11/2 hours. Add water if needed. Cool completely in fridge. Good if you can do this the day ahead. I like this method because the dulce tastes fresh and creamy. If you prefer, you can use 1 jar purchased Dulce de Leche. 
2. This cookie recipe has no liquids, so I find it is very important to use very soft butter, but not melted. I take it out of the fridge the night before. It also helps to use a large mixer that has a dough (hook) attachment.
3. Beat butter until very creamy. Beat in the yolks. 
4. Mix sugar and lemon rind, then add to creamed mixture, along with vanilla. 
5. Stir in cornstarch and combined other dry ingredients (using hook attachment if you have) until smooth. Shape into ball.
6. Taking about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll out on floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
7. Cut with small, round cookie cutter or tomato paste can. 
8. Place on floured cookie sheets and bake at 350° F for about 8 min. Do not over bake. Cookies should just be starting to get color on the underside, not on top. Cool.
9. Stick two cookies together with cooked sweetened condensed milk, spreading the sides (edges) as well and rolling them in coconut. 
10. Freeze to set. Store in air tight container in freezer and beware if someone in your family likes eating them frozen! Yields 4 dozen cookies 

Chili Meat Pockets

I'm not sure who gave me this recipe but I used to make them for the children's school lunches.

 They would also be great as appetizers for those Christmas parties. 

If you have a food processor, use it for the pastry.

For the Pastry:

You will need to make the recipe twice to use up the filling.

• 1 cup creamed cottage cheese
• 1 cup margarine
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ

For the Chili Meat filling:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/1/2 cups onions chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons chili powder ( or to taste)
• 4 envelopes beef bouillon powder.
• Cheddar cheese cut into pieces about 1/4 inch x 1 inch x 1/1/2 inches.

1. Prepare filling first.
2. Brown ground beef and onions until meat is cooked through. Drain fat. 
3. Add chili powder and beef bouillon powder and cook a little longer stirring well until seasonings are incorporated. (Do not add water)
4. Set aside to cool while you make the pastry.
5. Place all pastry ingredients in bowl of food processor and pulse until dough begins to stick together.
6. If mixing by hand, cut margarine and cottage cheese into dry ingredients and then mix by hand until mixture holds together and becomes somewhat sticky.
7. Divide dough and roll each piece out to about 1/8th inch thickness on floured surface.
8. Cut circles using a cutter about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.
9. Place 1 piece cheddar cheese on one side of each circle. 
10. Top with about 1 tablespoon of meat filling.
11. Fold in half and crimp edges together using a fork. 
12. Prick the tops with your fork to let the steam out when they bake.
13. Place on baking sheets and bake at 375 degrees C for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. 
14. Serve to the kids with ketchup for dipping or to the adults with red pepper jelly.
15. Keep the Chili Meat pockets in the fridge or freezer until serving.
16. They heat up best in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or turn the oven off and let them warm if frozen.

Nanaimo Bars

For those of us that have grown up with the Nanaimo Bar, it hardly seems possible that the rest of the world has had to go without this treat at Christmas time. I'm sure that Joyce had no clue that her famous bar would become such a favorite when she entered a contest in her hometown of Nanaimo. For the whole story you can click right here to read it. 

I do recall learning to make these before I was a bride. I even made them for the day that I had my bridesmaids over to wrap the Wedding cake in foil and netting for our wedding favours. Sadly, that day I made a few errors that I am going to make sure you never make. Pay attention to the little details and you too can serve the perfect little layer bar with your Christmas goodies.

First of all, you will want to use a 9X13 pan instead of the 8X8 pan. I like it nice and thin. You may like yours thicker, go for it. The other thing you will want to do is to line your pan with parchment paper or foil. If you don't do this you will not be able to lift it out to cut once it has been chilled

The other thing you will need to do is to ensure fresh ingredients. Make absolutely sure your graham wafer crumbs are fresh. Taste them. Don't trust that because your package is sealed, they will be fine. Also, make sure that your nuts whether you choose to use walnuts or almonds or pecans are also fresh. Taste them. The coconut I use is fine unsweetened. While you can use flaked or shredded, it cuts nicer if the bits are tiny.

Nanaimo Bars

Bottom layer 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons of cocoa
• 1 farm fresh egg slightly beaten
• 1 1/4 cup of graham wafers
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup of fine unsweetened coconut

1.  Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt it until it is nearly but not entirely melted.
2. If the butter is too hot it will instantly cook your egg in the next step.
3. Add the cocoa and sugar and stir until it is combined.
4.  Add the slightly beaten egg and stir until well combined.
5. Put back in the microwave for about a half minute.
6. Your mixture should be a bit like a custard.
7. You may need to put it in for another half minute, stir and repeat until it has slightly thickened.
8. The egg should have now slightly cooked and thickened the mixture.
9.  Add the nuts and coconut and stir until well combined.
10.  Add the graham wafers last. Don't add all the crumbs at once. I have found that some makes of graham crumbs are more powdery and thereby can dry the mixture faster. I think you'll be okay with this amount of butter, but as I learned years ago, if the mixture is too dry, it will crumble and not cut nicely later on when it is chilled. Spread the first layer into your prepared pan and chill for an hour. Do not skip the chilling step.

Second layer 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons Birds Eye Custard Powder. (non-sweet custard powder meant to be cooked)
• 3 tablespoons of heavy cream
• 2 cups of icing sugar or (powdered sugar)

1.  Cream the butter and add the custard powder and combine well. 
2.  Add the Icing sugar next and stir slowly to combine.
3. Add the cream a drizzle at a time to make a nice smooth icing.
4. Beat it well until it is light.
5. Take your chilled crumb base out of the fridge and spread your icing evenly on top.
6. With your offset spatula, spread it out nice and smooth or as smooth as you can.
7. Put it back in the fridge for an hour. 

Third Layer

• 6 squares of semi-sweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1. Put this in the microwave for half a minute or combine and heat over in a double boiler.
2. Stir the chocolate at a half minute intervals until it is perfectly smooth.
3. Take your chilled bar out of the fridge and put your chocolate on again using your offset spatula. Put it in the fridge to chill for 15  - 20 minutes.  
4. The bar needs to chill until the chocolate has set but not so so chilled until the chocolate is hard. If this happens you will crack your bar when you slice it.

I keep it well wrapped in the refrigerator. 

The instructions might seem daunting but it really is easy and very quick with no baking involved.

Snow Drops..gifts from the kitchen

A very easy gift to make and a 'crowd pleaser' too. So easy to make that it can be done as a last minute gift! Years ago I got this recipe from a friend who called it Crispix Snacks but on the Crispix cereal box it's called Snow Drops and that just sounded better to me. I changed up the recipe a tiny bit.

• 1 box - 350 g Crispix cereal
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 3/4 cups icing sugar

1. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a saucepan on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir until melted and smooth.
2. Pour  Crispix cereal in a large bowl and pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over the cereal stirring gently until all the cereal is coated.
3. Pour icing sugar in a large paper bag and add the coated cereal. Keep the top of the bag closed and shake up the cereal until it is well coated.
4. Pour on to a large baking pan and place in a cool place to harden. Once cool it is ready to package or to have as snacks. 
5. It is a 'bit' addictive so beware if the bowl empties fast! Still...it is cereal and peanut butter and chocolate so it should be good for you! ~smile~

Festive Refrigerator Cookies

Here is another refrigerator cookie to add to your collection.

I make these at Christmas and if you cut the cherries into a little larger pieces, these cookie slices will add some colour to your Christmas cookie tray.

The nuts you use will change up the flavour. I'm not sure which I like better, using the almonds or using the pecans.  They are both great!

• 1 cup soft unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds 
• 1/2 cup each, red glace cherries and green glace cherries, quartered

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add vanilla, salt and flour, mixing well.
3. Add nuts and cherries and knead dough to distribute them evenly.
4. Form into 2 rolls and wrap each tightly in waxed paper.
5. Chill rolls overnight
6. Slice and bake at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes.  Do not over brown them.

Bread for the Journey

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27 NIV

Peace is not an absence of conflict...

but an assurance that whatever circumstance we may find ourselves in...

we are safe in God's hands.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

~Horatio Spafford, 1873

May you experience the peace of knowing that 'it is well with your soul' during this advent season.

Special Salad

This jello salad recipe is just one of the many great recipes I have collected over the years from my mother in law. She loves to entertain and along with her wonderful meals she always has her table beautifully set with china, silver ware and the perfect choice of crystal bowls for her many varieties of salads.

Step one:

-1 box orange jello

-1 box lemon jello

Mix the two boxes of jello powder together in a large glass mixing bowl and stir in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Mix well until jello has dissolved and them add 2 cups of cold water.

Place mixture in the fridge until it begins to set. (this does not take long)

Step two:

-3 bananas, sliced

-1 small can mandarin orange segments, well drained

-1 14 oz can crushed pineapple, drained but save the juice in a 1 cup measuring cup for step five.

Mix together the three fruits and stir into partially set jello.

Step three:

Top the jello-fruit mixture with 1/2 bag mini white marshmallows and then put jello back in fridge.

Step four:

-1/2 pint whipping cream

-1 tbsp sugar

-1/2 tsp vanilla

Whip together until thick, cover and place in fridge until step five is ready.

Step five:

-1/2 cup sugar

-2 tbsp flour

-1 egg, well beaten

-1 cup pineapple juice,( use the juice from the fruit and add water and 1 tsp lemon juice to make one cup)

Stir ingredients together in a microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute at a time, stirring between until mixture is thick (2-3 minutes) You can also cook this on the stove top, stirring constantly.

Cool this mixture completely and then fold in the whipped cream. Spread over the marshmallow mixture.

Step six:

For the final layer, use a very fine cheese grater and grate 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese on top.

Ham and Cheese Ball

This recipe was given to me by Doris, who became my friend because we lived in the same neighborhood and our kids became Kindergarten friends. Now, our grown children are all over the map (literally) but we are still walking regularly and solving the world's problems. A friend like this, who knows everything about you and remains, is a true gift.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 c mayonnaise
• 2 - 8oz tins flaked ham
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced onion
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon Tabasco
• ½- 1 cup chopped nuts (for rolling in)

1. Beat cheese and mayo until smooth. Stir in next 5 ingredients. 
2. Cover and chill several hours. 
3. Form into two balls - will be quite sticky, but as you roll it in the nuts, to cover, you can shape it. I like having several of these in the freezer at this time of the year, since they are no work on the day that you need to pull one out.

Update: This cheese ball is a great addition to a charcuterie board ... along with crackers, crusty baguette, salami, prosciutto, sweet and/or savory spreads, cheeses, gherkins, dried fruit, nuts, grapes, the variety is endless.

Pavlova

With the cold crisp dry air we have been having I decided to make Pavlova since it turns out the very best when the air is dry. This is one of the easiest desserts to make if you can beat an egg, and whip some cream you can do this.

• 4 egg whites (separate each egg into a little cup before adding it to your glass or metal bowl that has had a warm water wash to free it from grease)
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

1. Prepare your baking sheet first. Lay down a strip of parchment paper or waxed paper on your cookie sheet. Lay a luncheon sized plate down in the center and trace around it. It will enlarge to fit on a dinner sized plate.
2. Preheat your oven to 300 F.  I did mine in a convection oven at 275. F
3. Beat your egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with a stand mixer or a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
4. Slowly add your sugar.
5. Combine the vinegar and the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the egg white while you are beating.
6. Add vanilla and beat until very stiff. You should be able to turn your bowl upside down.
7. Spread the egg whites onto the parchment paper, just to the edges of your tracing.
8. Bake for an hour. Open up the oven and have a peek.  The meringue should feel dry and no longer soft. If need be, leave it in another 10 minutes and check.
9. Leave the meringue in the oven and turn it off. Leave in until completely cooled.

Beat 2 cups of whipping cream and spread over top the meringue just before serving.

Slice kiwi and put pomegranate seeds on top for a Christmas dessert or strawberries and kiwi or whatever is pretty and in season.

Glazed Honey Cookies

Some of you may recognize this Christmas cookie. Our moms and grandmothers went to some work mixing up their large recipes of spiced and glazed cookies, but once they were done and stored away in a cool place, they kept for a long time. In fact, I find they taste better as they age and they do not take up freezer space. Although a recipe for honey cookies with a quick glaze method has already been posted, I'm sharing this one for variation (it does not have baking ammonia) and gives you the option of a boiled glaze. This recipe is cut in half already to make it more user friendly. It still makes 8 dozen.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups butter, room temp
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups sour cream
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground star anise
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves or allspice 

Glaze

• 2 cups sugar

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 egg whites

Method:

1. Beat butter, gradually adding sugar, then honey, eggs and sour cream, beating well after each addition.
2. Mix baking powder, soda and spices into some of the flour and add to wet ingredients
3. Continue adding flour 1 cup at a time (this can be done in a kitchen machine with a dough hook) until mixed thoroughly. Dough will be on the soft side, like a cookie batter.
4. Pat top smooth with spatula and refrigerate overnight or up to a few days.
5. Lightly grease and flour aluminum cookie sheets. Tilt cookie sheets and tap end to distribute the flour evenly.
6. Divide dough into quarters. Dust rolling mat or counter with flour. Taking one quarter portion at a time, using both hands, roll into a thick, 24 inch long roll, then cut into 1 inch slices and roll each slice into a ball.
7. Bake at 375° F for about 12 minutes on upper rack of oven - no lower than center of oven. Check bottom of cookie for light browning before taking out of oven. You don't want to over bake them but you also don't want the top to sink.
8. Cool on wire racks.

Glazing

1. Line cookie sheets with wax paper.
2. In a medium sized glass bowl, beat egg whites with hand mixer until almost stiff. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, between low and medium heat, bring sugar and water to boil, stirring often. When sugar has completely dissolved, liquid clears up and bubbles even while stirring, set timer to 3 minutes. Continue cooking at most one minute until you see only bubbles throughout, as you stir. Liquid should drip off the spoon like syrup. (soft ball stage)
4. With mixer on, slowly pour hot syrup into beaten egg whites and beat for about 3 - 4 minutes until thick and glossy when you lift the beater.
5. Now, be ready to work quickly without distractions, because the glaze can dry on you. Scoop some glaze up in your left hand fingers to coat bottom of cookie and hold it in place. Scoop some more with your right hand fingers and coat top, smoothing with index finger. Cover the entire cookie with a thin layer of glaze and slide onto wax paper, not touching other cookies.
6. Allow to dry on wax paper for several hours - may need to leave overnight if still tacky when you lift them.

Assessing glaze texture:  

I thought I'd show you the goal of what the glaze should look like. When it's cooked the right amount of time it goes on easy, and dries smoothly.

If the glaze is cooked too little it will be easy to coat, but take a long time to dry into a hard icing. If you have undercooked the glaze, you will notice that it does not thicken as you beat it with the egg white.  You may redeem it by adding a tablespoon of cornstarch and keep beating a few minutes more.

If the glaze is cooked too long, it will dry quickly as you are glazing the cookies. It may end up being  grainy, making it impossible to achieve that smooth finish. It helps to moisten your hands. The taste will still be good, just not as easy to work with. It may me easier to start again, cooking a minute less on your next try.