25 Days of Christmas...Day Sixteen

Tonight I am headed to my first experience of a "Cookie Exchange." My cookies are baked (see my last post), plated, and wrapped. I made 4 dozen to share and I will be coming home with a different assortment of cookies tonight! The best thing is that every guest is asked to bring a copy of each of their cookie recipes, so by the end of the night, I should have quite a few wonderful cookie recipes! I thought it would be nice to share mine with you!


Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies
Ingredients:
2 ½ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Salt
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 ¾ cup of milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Pecan Fingers
Ingredients:
1 Cup of butter, softened
½ Cup confectioners’ sugar
2 Cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 Cup finely chopped pecans
Additional confectioner’s sugar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in pecans.
Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into 2-in. fingers. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners’ sugar; cool on wire racks.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Ingredients:
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
24 mild chocolate kisses

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 F
In a small mixing bowl, cream peanut butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until blended. Roll into 1- ¼ in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tops are slightly cracked. Immediately press one chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

ENJOY!!!


25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #16 Streamline your kitchen to keep it neat and organized. Identify small appliances that are rarely used and store them elsewhere- either in a high upper cabinet or on shelf in the laundry room or garage.

25 days 'til Christmas Organizing tip #17 Have a stack of papers you haven't gone through in awhile, turn the pile over, the oldest things will be on the top and you will be less likely to want to hang on to them. Purge the pile, you'll feel better.