Family Tradition

Bunny Cakes have made an annual appearance on my family's Easter table for as long as I can remember.

Every Easter, my mom, my sister, and I would make a Bunny Cake for each of our neighbors, plus the grandparents, as well as our own table. My sister and I would walk to each neighbor's house, most likely leaving a trail of green coconut and jelly beans behind us (I'm also assuming I had chocolate around my mouth--it was a semi-permanent look for me as a kid).

Bunny Cakes were frosted with only two distinct flavors at our house: Pink Frosting or Coconut Pecan. I was always a Coconut-Pecan girl, myself.

Ah, memories.

For the past few years, I've maintained the title of "Keeper of the Bunny Cake" for the family. I've upgraded from the Funfetti boxed mixes we used as a kid, to now making a classic vanilla cake recipe (known as the Dinette Cake) from Betty Crocker's old-school cookbook. For frosting, I use a basic buttercream with almond extract. In the words of Ina, How easy is that?

I asked Adam yesterday if I should make Bunny Cakes for all of our neighbors this year. He looked up from the pile of frosting-coated, coconut-caked dishes he was washing, and I knew it would be another year before Bunny Cakes made an appearance in our kitchen :)

Bunny Cakes

(Dinette Cake recipe from Betty Crocker)

While I went with a classic white bunny for this year's cake, why not get creative with your Easter dessert centerpiece? Use strawberry, lemon, or even caramel frosting. Coat your bunny with coconut--or coat your bunny with chopped, toasted pecans. The sky is the limit in bunny decorating.

Dinette Cake Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 - 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Other Bunny Cake Ingredients:

• 1 recipe for your favorite frosting
• jelly beans
• coconut, tinted with green food coloring
• large marshmallows
• optional: chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch circular cake pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake ingredients. Add milk, shortening, egg, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 - 60 seconds. Beat on medium-high speed for an additional 2 minutes.

3) Pour cake batter into pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 3o minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

4) To assemble the bunny body: Cut the cake into two equal halves. Generously frost one side of one of the cake halves. Sandwich the two cake halves together, frosting side in, and set the "cake sandwich" up (flat side down) on your serving platter. Frost the outside of the cake generously.

5) To make the bunny face: On one end of the cake, attach three large marshmallows in the shape of an upside down triangle. Cover generously with frosting. Affix two chocolate chips with frosting for the eyes, and a pink jelly bean for the nose. Cut ears out of paper. Attach one large marshmallow to the opposite end of the bunny for a tail.

6) Sprinkle green coconut and jelly beans around the bunny for serving.

Week of Sweets Conclusion: Colossal Blueberry Muffins

Friends, today marks the conclusion of my Week of Sweets.

It's true. We've noshed on Oreo Truffles. We've covered our cookie plates with Red Velvet Cookies. And who could forget the Eggnog Muffins?

This bake-happy week resulted in plenty of full stomachs, several empty boxes of butter, a number of sugary smiles, and one satisfied Hungry Spoon. Tomorrow, it's back to those vege-head recipes our gastrointestinal tracks start craving after the December sugar-high.

But for now, let's bring our Week of Sweets to a close with my Christmas morning breakfast: Colossal Blueberry Muffins. I can't take credit for this breakfast myself. We're fortunate to be spending our holiday at Adam's parents' home, and with all the comforts his parents' provide, my mother-in-law's fantastic cooking is amongst my favorite (remember her Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread? Oh heavens, yes.).

After returning from an early-morning walk with Adam and Dora, we were greeted by the aroma of fresh muffins baking: Kathy's Colossal Blueberry Muffins and Banana-Nut Muffins. Adam and I split one of each (there may or may not have also been some spiked eggnog involved. Totally appropriate.). The blueberry muffins were literally overflowing with blueberries--a fruit I've missed after the last several months of baking with apples, pumpkin, and bananas. And who doesn't need a little more crumb topping in her life?

The rest of the day involved lots of napping, reading by the fire, and me losing miserably to several games of Boggle. Hey--we've all got our talents. Mine just doesn't happen to include finding words in a scrambled cube of letters.

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you're enjoying a weekend filled with happiness, family, and plenty of good eats.

Colossal Blueberry Muffins
(recipe adapted from one on CD Kitchen)

This blueberry muffin hit the spot for Christmas morning breakfast. It's super moist, and bursting with berries. The crumb topping takes it up a notch, too.

Muffin Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 - 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 beaten eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Optional: A little lemon zest would be a great addition, but isn't necessary

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place large muffin liners in a jumbo-size muffin tray (this recipe makes 6 jumbo muffins)

2) Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and butter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, and stir gently until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups

3) Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (Kathy's took 30 minutes). Remember: If you're using regular-sized muffin cups, the baking time will be significantly reduced!

Week of Sweets: Day 6, Daring Bakers Challenge

What better bread to make during the month of December than a traditional Christmas Stollen?

I'd never made, or eaten, stollen before this month. This is especially shocking since it fits all the criteria for my "Carbs I Love" List (must contain butter, sugar, vanilla, and lots of lovin'. It should come as no surprise that my list has grown exponentially in the month of December alone).

So what brought the ol' Christmas Stollen into my life? The Daring Bakers, of course!

I was thrilled to join Daring Bakers this month--a group of bake-happy folks who participate in monthly baking challenges and post their culinary results at the end of each month.

The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book………and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.

While the results of this bread were quite impressive, I must admit that it's a time-consuming treat to prepare. I recommend prepping the dough at least a day in advance of baking. And a word of caution: This dough expands...big time. Frankly, I was surprised I didn't wake up to find it oozing out of my refrigerator, threatening to take over the entire kitchen.

Ultimately, this is a beautiful recipe for the holidays--dressed up with fresh fruit and flowers, it makes a lovely centerpiece for your holiday table.

Happy Holidays, Everyone! I wish you all a safe, warm, and very merry holiday weekend :)

Christmas Stollen
(recipe from Penny at Sweet Sadie's Baking)

Roll up your sleeves, get out the rolling pan, and get your Stollen-baking hat on. It's the Christmas season--what better time to bake a ring of this tasty German bread? This recipe makes one large wreath of bread which could easily serve 12 - 16 people.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 4 - 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 10 TBSP butter
• 5 - 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• zest of one orange and one lemon
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. orange extract
• 3/4 cup candied orange peel
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 TBSP rum
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:

1) In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the rum.

2) Place the 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve and set aside.

3) In a saucepan, gently heat the milk and butter together until butter is melted (on low-medium heat). Set aside until lukewarm.

4) In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add extracts to them. Set aside.

5) Now it's time to get mixing! Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, gently beat in the egg mixture, yeast mixture, and milk mixture. This should take about 2 minutes, and will result in a soft, but not sticky, ball. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

6) Using your hands, or the mixer, add in the candied peel, raisins, and almonds.

7) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, until dough becomes soft and a bit tacky, but not sticky. Coat a large bowl with a little oil, place dough in the bowl and roll in the oil to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight (it will rise slowly!). This dough can keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

8) When you're ready to bake the bread, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for at least 2 hours before rolling and shaping. Preheat oven to 350 and roll the dough into a 16 x 24 inches on a lightly floured surface.

9) Starting with a long side, roll up the dough into a tight cylinder. Transfer the cylinder to a sheet pan coated with cooking spray (or lined with parchment paper) and seal the two ends together to form a wreath shape. Using a sharp knife (or kitchen scissors), make cuts around the outside of the ring, to resemble a wreath shape. Mist with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for about 2 hours (it should double in size).

10) Bake the stollen for 20 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees, and continue baking for another 20 - 30 minutes. The bread will turn a beautiful mahogony color. Remove from the oven and brush the top with butter. Sift powdered sugar on top to coat, wait about 1 minutes, and sift more powdered sugar on top.

Week of Sweets: Day 5, Eggnog Muffins

This past weekend my friend Amy made a massive batch of delicious homemade eggnog.

We're talking lots of egg-separation and egg-beating, plenty of cream-whipping action, and...a healthy dose of Rum.

Talk about a recipe for beverage success.

I've heard through the grapevine that not everyone likes eggnog (gasp!). I don't understand the dislike, friends. What's not to love about liquid ice cream laced with Rum?

Needless to say, I love the stuff.

In the spirit of the season, and inspired by Amy's homemade nog, I whipped up a batch of Monet's Eggnog Muffins last night. Holy deliciousness. Is it possible for a muffin to taste so awesome? I promise you, eggnog-haters: even you will beg for more of these nog-tastic muffies.

And yes, I just said "nog-tastic." (To be fair, Adam coined the phrase first. As my official taste-tester I like to remember the first words out of his mouth when he takes the first bite of a treat. After one bite of his muffin he closed his eyes, slowly shook his head, and said "Nog-Tastic, Kylie." This is one of the 5,349 reasons I married him.).

So drink up, dear friends! And if you're so daring, dunk a bite of this holiday muffin in a tall glass of eggnog. This nog-tastic opportunity only presents itself one month of the year. Don't let it slip away.

Eggnog Muffins
(recipe from Monet at Anecdotes and Apple Cores)

I actually used Silk's soy "Nog," which is dairy-free and worked completely fine! But feel free to use the "real deal" in your recipe. Do yourself a favor and bake these muffins for Christmas morning breakfast. And remember: Eggnog for breakfast is perfectly acceptable on Christmas.

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 2 - 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 - 1/4 cups eggnog

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fill a muffin tin with paper liners (My batch made 12 muffins, plus one gigantic muffin--I poured all of the extra batter in a large ramekin.).

2) Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a small separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Alternately add the dry ingredients with the eggnog, stirring gently with a spoon. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.

3) To make the crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut butter in, and crumble with a fork. Sprinkle topping over each muffin (you will have some extra leftover topping). Bake muffins for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Week of Sweets: Day 4, Red Velvet Cookies

My Pandora Christmas Station has gone into overdrive, and I've been singing "Jingle Bells" like it's my second job.

Did I mention that I'm watching "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" tonight? We all need a little Chevy Chase in our lives this time of year.

And if the old adage "You are what you eat" is true, then I've most definitely turned into a giant vat of cookie dough, Peanut Butter Balls, and red and green sprinkles.

Friends, with evidence this clear, there's no doubt that the holidays are here.

Today's sweet recipe screams "holidays!" almost as much as Lampoon's Uncle Eddy and Chevy Chase's light display. We're talking Chewy Red Velvet M & M Cookies.

Oh yes I did.

I spied Chewy Red Velvet Cookies on Jessica's blog earlier this month, and I knew it would be a unique twist on the classic red and green M & M cookies I make every Christmas. The cocoa powder adds a surprising flavor, and the bright red hue says "Eat me! I'm an adventurous Christmas cookie!"

If you're looking for an extra layer of wow-factor, I suggest making miniature size versions of this cookie and sandwiching a layer of chocolate ganache between two of them.

Now if you'll excuse me, there's a glass of eggnog and a couch calling my name.

Red Velvet M&M Cookies
(recipe from Jessica at How Sweet Eats)

Who doesn't love red velvet cake? Better yet, who doesn't love a chewy M & M cookie? Mash these two together and you've got yourself Chewy Red Velvet M & M Cookies. The holidays are good to us, aren't they?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. red food coloring
• As many red and green M&Ms as your heart desires

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray.

2) Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well-combined. Beat in dry ingredients and red food coloring. Stir in M & Ms.

3) Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Week of Sweets: Day 3, Molasses Cookies

Imagine sitting before a plate of the twelve best cookies created by bakers in your tri-county area. Your task: consume each tasty morsel, rate every cookie in a variety of categories, and consult with your food-loving peers to determine the ultimate holiday cookie.

Yep. It was just as fun as it sounds.

And no, I didn't tire of eating cookies (although I did save a portion of each cookie for Adam. Except for two. They were so delicious I couldn't resist eating the whole thing. What can I say? I can be cookie-selfish at times.).

Last month I met with fellow members of local newspaper's Food Panel to judge cookies for the Annual Holiday Cookie Contest. The winning cookie was voted unanimously as the best in the bunch: simple, small, and oh-so-Christmas-y, we chose a White Chocolate-Dipped Molasses Cookie as the 2010 winner.

Yesterday I baked a batch of the winning recipe with my mom and sister during our annual Holiday Cookie-Baking Day. We forgot to pick up white chocolate, so ours weren't dipped. They're still delightful, but I definitely recommend the white chocolate for an extra hint of decadence.

Now, it's time to go eat some more holiday treats. Because that's what we do in December, right?

What treats are gracing your holiday cookie trays this year?

Molasses Cookies (plus deliciously optional white chocolate coating)

(recipe from Pat H.--winner of the Dominion Post Annual Holiday Cookie Contest)

This cookie received rave reviews from our panel for its tender, moist crumb, its rich ginger/molasses flavor, and the simple elegance (and delicious addition!) of white chocolate. You'll love them without the white chocolate, too. These babies are going to be a new staple on my holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• Optional: White melting chocolate

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 and coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2) Cream shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses together until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until well-combined. Roll into small balls, and then roll in decorators' sugar. Place on cookie sheet and gently press down on each cookie to flatten. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.

3) If desired (and who wouldn't desire this?!), dip half of each cookie in white chocolate and place on wax paper to cool/firm up.

Week of Sweets: Day 1, Oreo Truffles

Well, it was bound to happen.

The baking frenzy occurring in my kitchen has been taken to a new level. I'm like Animal from the Muppets, but my tool of choice is a KitchenAid stand mixer instead of a drum set.

I'm not complaining though. Also similar to Animal the Muppet, I love the holiday season and the baking that comes with it. During the month of December, there are worse things than choosing butter and sugar as your drugs of choice.

(Side note: While we're on the topic of Muppets, does anyone remember the original Muppets' Christmas movie from the 1980s? With a guest appearance by Jim Henson at the end? Classic.)

With all this holiday baking love going on, I've proclaimed today the first of my "Week of Sweets" on the Hungry Spoon. What better way to start the week than with Oreo Truffles?

I first tasted Oreo Truffles a few months ago when my co-worker brought them in for an office "Bake Off." They won the contest unanimously. With three ingredients, a bite-size form, and a silky white chocolate coating, I knew these had to make my holiday baking list. This batch is going with us to a Christmas party tonight. I hope there are lots left over :)

Oreo Truffles

(recipe from my sweet co-worker, Sherry)

This recipe seriously turns up the volume on the classic Oreo. If you prefer, you could coat them in semi-sweet or milk chocolate. But the white chocolate just makes them look that much closer to heaven...

Ingredients:

• 1 entire package of Oreos
• 1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese, softened (1/3 reduced fat version works fine)
• White melting chocolate/candy coating

Directions:

1) In a food processor, process Oreos until they reach a fine crumb. Beat Oreo crumbs with cream cheese in a stand mixer. Roll into balls and freeze (I let my freeze overnight, although this isn't necessary).

2) Melt the melting chocolate in a double boiler. Dip Oreo balls in white chocolate and refrigerate until set.

Santa's Favorite Treat

If Santa made requests, I have no doubt that peanut butter balls would be at the top of his list of Christmas Eve treats. It's true: The big guy in the red suit prefers these bite-sized balls of PB-Chocolate joy to a sugar cookie any day.

I apologize to those of you who tire of my chocolate + peanut butter obsessions.

And I especially give my regrets to any readers with a peanut allergy.

But when you make something that tastes like a Reese's peanut butter cup in your own kitchen, you're so bowled over with holiday happiness you just know you've got to share it with someone. Or everyone.

Peanut butter balls are a classic addition to any holiday cookie platter. They taste just like a peanut butter cup, only ten times better because they're created with that special homemade lovin'.

The first time I made these little balls of PB joy, I was told they're called "Buckeyes" by all of my college friends who hail from Ohio. That works. But so does Peanut Butter Ball. Or Chocolate Peanut Butter Addict Treats. Or you could just call them Pure Holiday Heaven.

Whatever you call them, make sure you make them, eat them, and love them. It's good for the soul. And it will certainly get you on Santa's Nice List.

Peanut Butter Balls

(adapted from this recipe at Allrecipes.com)

Your holiday cookie platter will not be complete without these little gems. They're simple to make and require few ingredients. And who doesn't love a homemade peanut butter cup?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 jar (15 oz.) of creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 - 1/2 to 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips
• 2 TBSP shortening

Directions:

1) Beat the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla together with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar until a dry play-dough like consistency is reached. Roll and/or mold the mixture into small balls and place on waxed paper.

2) Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler. Place a toothpick in the center of a peanut butter ball and dip in chocolate. Repeat with remaining PB balls.

3) Leave a plate for Santa. It's a holiday requirement.

Nuts for Sugared Pecans

Forget sugar plums.

It's all about the sugared pecans.

Warning: This is quite possibly one of the most addictive holiday snacks out there. I generally eat my weight in them during the month of December. No worries though: January was designed to make up for all of the December indiscretions.

Your stomach may cry out for you to stop the overload of cookies and fudge, but it will never turn away the satisfying crunch and sweet n' salty balance of a sugar-coated pecan.

As you're making your list of what to bake for who this season, consider these thoughts on sugared pecans:

• They're the perfect gift for someone with gluten-intolerance. It's easy for folks with Celiac Disease to feel left out of the seasonal fun, what with all the flour-heavy baked treats. Sugared pecans will surely bring a smile to their face.
• Consider adding these crunchy little gems to a gift for the gourmet beer-lover in your life. Fill an empty basket from the attic with select beers, a bag of sugared pecans, and a bag of homemade snack mix.
• They're also packaged beautifully in clean, empty jam or nut butter jars.
• They make a great stocking stuffer--just wrap them in a clear cellophane bag with some ribbon and raffia.

Can you tell I'm just nutty for this snack?

Sugared Pecans

(adapted from this recipe at Allrecipes.com)

Whether you're making these as a gift, or just for your awesome self, I promise you won't regret it. Promise.

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1 pound pecan halves (I actually mixed a handful of whole almonds into this batch as well)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla until frothy. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

3) Add the pecans to the egg white mixture and stir until coated. Coat the nuts with the sugar mixture until evenly-covered. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for approximately one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

4) Package 'em up and send 'em out. But not before you eat a few...handfuls.

Ginger Friends

Nutritious, delicious vegetarian meals will eventually return to my diet.

I promise.

But for now: gingerbread people...and lots of 'em.

(And yes, my ginger-seasoned cookie creations are gender neutral. What can I say? My Women's Studies roots even influence my baking practices.)

This gingerbread cookie recipe is classic--no frills, no creative "foodie twists." Just pure, simple, molasses n' ginger-spiced, person-shaped treats. And where does a gal turn for a traditional, classic recipe? Her trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook of course.

Since this recipe produces so many cookies, these little guys will be spreading holiday cheer all over the place this season. First on the list is a crowd who's easy to please: my students. A roomful of teenagers + a plate of Christmas cookies = one happy crowd, and one empty plate.

Another fun idea for your gingerbread folks is to use them as gift tags. Instead of writing a gift recipient's name on a gift tag, I like to write the their name on a gingerbread cookie, package in a clear cellophane bag with a ribbon, and affix to the gift.

Again, I promise the vege-head goodness will return to A Hungry Spoon soon enough. But this season only comes once a year...and so do my gender-neutral ginger friends.

Classic Gingerbread Cookies

(recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook; makes approximately 50 cookies)

Gingerbread cookies are a classic staple on any holiday cookie plate. While the cookbook recommends using a simple confectioner's sugar icing, I couldn't resist making buttercream frosting to ice mine.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP vinegar
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• Optional: frosting for decorating

Directions:

1) Beat the shortening, sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves with an electric mixer until well-combined. Beat in the molasses. egg, and vinegar until thoroughly mixed. Beat in flour. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets with cooking spray and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to approximately 1/8 inch thickness. Cut dough with desired cookie cutter shapes and place on prepared baking sheets.

3) Bake cookies for 5 - 6 minutes, or until edges are light brown (mine were done in 5 and half minutes!). Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with frosting...because it's necessary and cute.

4) For frosting: I actually didn't measure anything when I made my frosting, but I estimate that it was about 3 TBSP butter, 1 - 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, and 1 - 2 TBSP milk. I beat these ingredients together and transferred the frosting to a sandwich-size ziploc bag. I cut a hole in one tip, and used as an impromptu pastry bag.

Holiday Shortbread

Picture it: Rich, buttery shortbread, the edge dipped in smooth-as-silk milk chocolate, and lightly rolled in chopped pistachios.

To top off the cuteness of this dainty cookie, imagine this single-serving shortbread served in its own tiny teacup.

Was it Martha Stewart? Ina Garten? How about Paula Deen?

Nope. None of the above. Try my sweet mother-in-law.

Kathy is a sensational baker. She taught me the golden rule of baking: butter and margarine are most certainly not interchangeable. My life changed pretty drastically (for the better) after Kathy welcomed me into her bag of baking tricks.

Every year at Christmas she sends Adam and I home with a tin of her seasonal treats, and Adam knows to keep his hands off the chocolate-dipped shortbread. Simple, sweet, and oh-so-butterific, those little shortbread cookies are all mine.

Last month, Kathy put a creative twist on her holiday shortbread and converted them into favors for her soon-to-be niece's wedding shower. These sweet little tea cups sat at each place-setting, begging attendees to sink their teeth into the buttery goodness.

Make these cookies for your holiday cookie plates, and your neighbors and co-workers will certainly beg for more. They likely won't believe the cookie itself has only three ingredients. In lieu of pistachios, you can roll them in red and green sprinkles, toasted pecans, or whatever your heart desires.

Trust me: the old Girl Scout shortbread impostor "Trefoils" have nothing on Kathy's famous cookies.

Kathy's Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread

(from Miss Kathy herself)

Forget those long, complicated holiday cookie ingredient lists. These shortbread cookies are small on ingredients and big on taste. Hey--you can't go wrong with butter and sugar, right?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened (NO substitutes!)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 - 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Milk chocolate chips
• Optional: crushed pistachios, crushed pecans, sprinkles, and/or other toppings

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2) Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Gradually add in flour. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes.

3) Pat into a 1/3 inch rectangle, 11 x 18 inches. Cut into small rectangles of your desired size (for Kathy's Christmas version, she does 2" by 1" rectangles). Place about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and prick each cookie with a fork. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until bottom begins to lightly brown. Cool for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

4) For dipping: Gently melt milk chocolate in a double boiler (I used one 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips). Dip one half of each cookie in the milk chocolate and sprinkle with nuts or sprinkles (or nothing at all if you'd like!). Place on wax paper to cool completely.

The Grill Sergeant

Since childhood, I can recall my dad taking on cooking duty for a few select menu items.

He always wore the same brown apron--it read "Grill Sergeant" across the front--and he moved carefully and methodically through the kitchen, preparing food with a precision I rarely witnessed. (I was more accustomed to watching the cooking style demonstrated by my mom: a fast-moving combo of the Iron Chef and Rachael Ray. Don't mess with the Hungry Spoon Mama in her kitchen. She means business.)

The list of foods my dad has mastered is brief, albeit powerful in the man world:

• Various meats prepared on the grill
• French Toast
• Bacon
• the Thanksgiving turkey
• Stovetop oatmeal
• Chex Snack Mix

I assume that most men would gladly survive on these items alone if given the option.

Today, we'll focus on the Chex Snack Mix. Growing up, this treat was only prepared between the day after Thanksgiving and New Year's Day--it's a strictly holiday food in the Hungry Spoon's household-of-origin. And it's only prepared by my rockin' dad.

With his grill sergeant apron, and his meticulous nature, my dad single-handedly holds the power of signaling the beginning of the holiday season for my family...one pan of Chex Mix at a time.

I stopped by my parents' house yesterday afternoon to take advantage of their fridge full of leftovers, and, much to my delight, a roasting pan full of Chex mix greeted me in the kitchen.

Ah, the holiday season has officially begun.

While there are endless variations to this basic recipe, the traditional version is simple and classic. Set a few bowl-fuls out at your holiday party, or package them up in recycled jars for holiday gifts. Warning: this stuff is addictive. Seriously.

What signals the beginning of the holiday season for you?

Dad's Holiday Chex Mix

(adapted from this Chex Mix recipe)

I placed small bowls of this snack mix throughout our house for our holiday party last year--there was barely a crumb left by the end of the evening.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups corn Chex
• 3 cups rice Chex
• 3 cups wheat Chex
• 3 cups Cheerios
• 1 - 2 cups pretzels
• 1 cup peanuts
• 6 TBSP butter
• 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 - 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2) Combine cereals, pretzels, and nuts in a large roasting pan. In a saucepan, heat butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add in seasonings. Pour butter mixture over cereal and stir to coat evenly.

3) Bake snack mix for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

*Fun gift idea: I like to fill recycled nut butter and salsa jars with snack mix, personalize the lids, and add them to food gift baskets/boxes for neighbors and friends during the holidays.