CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE FIXINGSGS

I always baked cake mix for my cookies for my kids.
They loved these cookies, so I kept the cookie jar filled up. I liked baking these cookies because  they could be prepared  quickly and yielded over 2 dozen cookies.

We called my oldest son the cookie monster. He could be playing outside 

with his friends, but magically appear 

when the cookies came out of the oven!  My son insisted on having milk with his cookies!  Therefore, I was always asking 

my husband to bring a gallon of milk home. He joked and said that he needed to buy a cow. He could cut down buying milk. I told

him he would be the one milking the cow!

I was very busy during Christmas season so baking scratch cookies were not an option. 

I figured out how to make my cake mix Christmas cookies special. I used butter, real extracts, nuts, candy, and citrus peel.
I used my mom's 30 year old Christmas tree cookie cutter sometimes. It brings back so many memories.Of course, I have the new shiny silver cookie cutters and I let my kids use these. I would be heartbroken if they damaged my old vintage cookie cutter.

SOME OF MY VINTAGE COOKIE CUTTERS 

I took a test batch of my cookies to work 

to see if anyone liked my embellished cake mix cookies. One of my team members kept eating my orange butter cookies.  I had to tell her to leave some for the rest of the  team members. 

Here are the recipes for two of my most requested Christmas cookies:

    

TASTY ORANGE BUTTER COOKIES


1 box two layer yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, soft
1 egg
2 tsp orange peel or zest of 1/2 orange
1 tsp pure California orange extract

Preheat oven 350. Grease cookie sheet.

In large bowl, mix all of the listed ingredients with wooden spoon. 
Remove cookie dough from bowl and 
divide in half. Make 2  logs & wrap in 
plastic wrap. Chill dough in fridge until
firm. Slice cookies into 1 inch disks. Place
12 cookies on cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes or until light brown.  Let cookies stand 2 minutes then transfer to cooling racks. Bake second batch or store log in fridge 3 days.


Tips:

Regular orange extract can be used if California extract not available

You can adjust the zest/peel to taste.

I buy prepared organic orange peel from local market.Here is link if you need help making your own zest :

http://www.wikihow.com/Zest-an-Orange

HANDY ZEST CHART:

Lemon Zest     1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons     1 medium lemon
Lime Zest        1 to 2 teaspoons           1 medium lime
Orange Zest     2 to 3 tablespoons        1 medium orange 

RED HOT CHRISTMAS TREES



1 box two layer yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, soft
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
 Red hot candies

Preheat oven 350. Grease cookie sheet

In large bowl, mix all of the listed ingredients.except candy. Blend
well with wooden spoon. Roll out
dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut out the
Christmas tree shapes & place on cookie sheet.  Decorate trees with the candy.
Bake 10 minutes or until cookies are light brown.  Let cookies stand 2 minutes
then transfer to cooling racks.

Tips:

Avoid over cooking because candy will get too hard.

Cut other cookie cutter shapes if desired

Can use recipe for Valentine's Day. Use
heart cookie cutter.

www.bettycrocker.com

 











ROSEMARY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 box two layer yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, soft
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c semi- sweet chocolate chips
1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped


Preheat oven 350. Grease cookie sheet.

In large bowl, mix all of the listed ingredients with wooden spoon. 
Remove cookie dough from bowl 
and divide in half. Make 2  logs & 
wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough 
in fridge until firm. Place one batch 
of cookies on cookie sheet. Slice them 
into 2 inch disks. Bake 10 minutes or
until light brown. Let cookies stand 2 minutes then transfer to cooling racks.
Bake second batch or store log in fridge 
3 days.


Tips:

I have rosemary bush in my yard. 
Can use dried rosemary leaves 
but not sure how much. Try one
tsp & bake a sample cookie.
Increase or decrease rosemary 
to taste before baking whole batch. 

 
 

HOLD THE TURkEY, MAKE THE DRESSING!

http://www.pepperidgefarm.com

I might sound old fashioned but  my Thanksgiving Day meal isn't complete

unless I include cornbread dressing and gravy. 

I was inexperienced as a new wife in the 70's. I served canned gravy and box

stuffing mix! What a travesty! My nice hubby never complained. After a few 

years of tutoring from my mother, my cooking skills improved.I finally learned 

to make homemade dressing and gravy.  

It takes practice in spite of the tutoring.

The dressing was easier for me to make. Some people say dressing and others say stuffing.My mom always said dressing and 

so am I.

I am not trying to be a chef so, I buy bag

cornbread or herb stuffing and embellish 

it.My mom used to soak and add day old white bread cubes to the dressing. I’m not sure why. I do it since the bag stuffing tends to be a bit salty. I must add broth or stock to it for the best flavor. I saute' celery and onion in butter before adding them to my dressing. My family prefers that I add

sauteed diced apples, onion, celery, chopped pecans,and cooked sausage to

my herb dressing.  They hate dressing cooked inside the turkey. Golden brown

and crispy dressing is our favorite.

Here are my favorite recipes for dressing:

 

Moist & Savory Stuffing

http://www.pepperidgefarm.com

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

2 1/2 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth

1 pkg. (14 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add the celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Add the broth to the saucepan and heat

to a boil.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Add the stuffing and mix lightly.  Season to taste.  Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 9x13x2-inch baking dish. Cover the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

  

My tips for extra special dressing:

Add one, two, or all of the

ingredients below:

Add 1 tsp rubbed sage to dressing.

Add 1/2 C sauteed, diced mushrooms

Add 2 slightly beaten eggs to dressing.

Add 1 lb. cooked, drained, crumbled pork saugage

Bake uncovered for crispy dressing. Taste

better if baked 'til golden brown.

 

http://www.bettycrocker.com 

Crescent-Cornbread Dressing

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

2 pouches (6.5 oz each) Betty Crocker™ cornbread & muffin mix

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3 eggs

4 slices bacon

1 container (8 oz) refrigerated prechopped onion, celery and pepper mix

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon dried sage leaves

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth (4 cups)

1 egg

Directions

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Bake crescent rolls as directed on package. 2 Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Make and bake cornbread as directed on package, using milk, 1/4 cup butter and 3 eggs. Cool completely.  

3 Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add onion, celery and pepper mix and garlic to bacon drippings; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender.  

4 In large bowl, crumble crescent rolls and cornbread. Stir in onion mixture, bacon, melted butter, sage, broth and 1 egg until blended. Spoon into baking dish.  

5 Bake uncovered 45 to 50 minutes or until browned.

 

  

LYDIA'S CORNBREAD STUFFING

1/2 stick butter

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 pkg (14 ounces) corn bread stuffing

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease 9 x13 baking dish

Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Add the celery and onion until tender-crisp.

Add the broth, the stuffing and the eggs. Mix

well.  Place the dressing into greased 9x 13 dish or pan .

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and

the edges are crisp.