This year's Christmas recipes

Every year, I find new recipes, make them, love them (or not), and then promptly forget what I made or where I found the recipe. This year, I decided to record the recipes so I can remember them for next year!

Triple Nut Toffee

(from the Pillsbury recipe magazine- Nov. 2008)

1/3 c. chopped pecans

1/3 c. slivered almonds (I used sliced)

1/3 c. cashew halves and pieces

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. butter

1/4 c. water

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Line 15x10x1 inch pan with foil. Spread nuts in pan. Bake 6-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Pour into small bowl; set aside. Set aside pan with foil to use later.

Meanwhile, in heavy 2 quart saucepan, cook sugars, butter and water over medium-high heat 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently, until candy thermometer reaches 300 F, or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a hard brittle strand.

Immediately pour toffee into foil-lined pan.

Quickly spread mixture to 1/4 inch thickness with rubber spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand about 1 minute or until chips are softened. Spread softened chocolate evenly over toffee. Sprinkle with nuts.

Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm. Break into pieces. Store in tightly covered container.

Note: this was SO good. I love toffee- and this was easy and delicious. It would be good without the nuts, too, or with only one kind of nut.

Chocolate-Filled Russian Tea Cakes

(from Pillsbury Nov. 2009)

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1/4 t. salt

3/4 c. finely chopped walnuts

48 milk chocolate stars (I used 3 chocolate chips per cookie)

1 c. powdered sugar

1 T. red sugar

1 T. green sugar

Heat oven to 400. In large bowl, beat butter, 1/2 c. powdered sugar and vanilla until well mixed. Beat in flour, salt and walnuts.

Shape slightly less than 1 tablespoonful of dough around each chocolate star to make 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until set and bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 1 c. pwd. sugar, and colored sugars.

Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets; roll in sugar coating. Cool completely about 30 minutes, roll in coating again.

Maple-Walnut Shortbread Cookies

(Pillsbury Nov. 2009)

1 c. butter, softened

1/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts

1 egg yolk

2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 t. maple flavoring

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in 1/2 c. walnuts and the egg yolk until blended. Beat in flour, baking powder, salt and maple until stiff cookie dough forms. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 350. Divide dough into 8 equal parts. On lightly floured surface, shape each part into a rope 12 inches long and 3/4 inch thick. Cut each rope into 6 pieces. On ungreased cookie sheets, place dough pieces about 2 inches apart; flatten slightly.

Bake 15-17 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely about 30 minutes.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High about 1 minute 30 seconds, until chips can be stirred smooth. In another small bowl, place 1 c. walnuts.

For each cookie, dip 1/2 inch of 1 long side into chocolate, then coat chocolate edge with walnuts. Place on sheets of waxed paper; let stand about 2 hours or until chocolate is set.

(These shortbread cookies were my other favorites- delicious!)

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

(Managing Your Meals)

2/3 c. butter

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 t. vanilla

1 3/4 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

4 t. milk

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, mix in thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients together with milk; mix until blended.

Chill 1 hour for ease in handling. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Arrange on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until done.

Cool; frost with butter cream frosting. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie Cups

(I made this one up)

Brownies:

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. flour

1/4 t. baking powder

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/3 c. cocoa

1/4 t. salt

Mix, put into lined mini-muffin tins (fill just over half full).

Cheesecake filling:

1 pkg. cream cheese (softened)

1 egg

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

Mix until smooth. Place a small amount on the top of brownie (maybe 1/2 t.) Bake at 350 until done (sorry, didn't check how long it took).

Cool, top with raspberry pie filling.

(These were good, but I'm still working on the recipe- I want the filling to be a little more like cheesecake- this one was a little thin)