The snow is snowing, and the wind is blowing, but I can weather the storm.
I can’t remember a worse December. Just watch those icicles form.
… somewhere, but here in temperate Vancouver, it’s 11°C today! Still, I got a cup of Bailey’s and hot chocolate to keep me warm. And I’ve decided that I would bake some Holiday treats this year (or help at least). For this I enlisted the help of my good friend, Martha Stewart. Check out these two easy recipes I found in her Holiday Cookies Special issue:
Double Chocolate Cookies
This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour,
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder,
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda,
- ½ teaspoon of salt,
- 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate (half coarsely shopped, and half cut into ¼ inch chunks),
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened,
- 1½ cups granulated sugar,
- 2 large eggs,
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract,
- And icing sugar for decorative purposes.
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Whisk to combine flour cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter. Transfer chocolate mixture to a separate bowl; add granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. On low speed, gradually stir in flour mixture and ad chocolate chunks. Place balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are flat and surfaces start to crack, 15 minutes. Transfer cookies (on parchment) to wire racks. Let cool for 5 minutes. Lay stencil on cookie (be creative with making these out of paper). Using a fine sieve, sprinkle icing sugar on top and carefully lift stencil.
Lacy Coconut Crisps
This recipe is even easier and it makes 6 dozens. This is what’s needed:
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour,
- 1¾ cups of confectioners’ sugar,
- ½ teaspoon of salt,
- ⅔ cup of unsweetened coconut milk,
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract,
- 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut,
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Whisk to combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Pour in coconut milk and stir until well combined. Stir in vanilla and shredded coconut. Add butter and stir until mixed thoroughly. Chill for 30 minutes. Drop a heaping teaspoon of batter onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread into a circle about 3½ inches in diameter. Repeat, spacing circles about 3 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until cookies are flat and edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and repeat when sheets have completely cooled down.
That’s your holiday treats! Which brings me now to Christmas eats… I’m not about to get into any turkey recipes, but I did want to make a couple of suggestions for your leftovers. If you’re feeling generous, give them to someone in need. But if you’re feeling creative, make turkey salad sandwiches. For that you’ll need to mix equal amounts of turkey meat and veggies (arugula, red peppers, celery), add some dried cranberries and chopped walnuts, and top with a little mayonnaise and Balsamic vinegar. I’ve made that every year for the last four or five years, and it’s become something I look forward to every Christmas.
I’ll stop here and wish you Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas and all that stuff.
