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Christmas Tree Cookies

Christmas Tree Cookies
Christmas Tree Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Cookies

I still am in the learning stages of decorating cookies.  It’s a rather tricky process of gaining expertise in the icing and their use.  I circumvented a big chunk of the decorating in this recipe by coloring the dough instead of applying a green icing over the entire cookie.

 

 

Ingredients for Christmas Tree Cookies

  1. 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  2. 1 tsp baking powder
  3. ½ tsp salt
  4. 1 cup softened butter
  5. 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
  6. 2 whole eggs
  7. 1 Tbs vanilla
  8. 1+ tsp dark green food coloring

Directions for Christmas Tree Cookies

Preheat oven to 400º

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and sugar .  With the mixer on low add the eggs one at a time and combine thoroughly  .

Add the vanilla and the food coloring mix well.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. If it looks too light green add a little more coloring.

Divide the dough in thirds and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to overnight.

On a well floured surface roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thickness and using a Christmas tree cutter cut out the shapes and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or one with a silpat.  You can decorate with sprinkles at this point or wait until cookies are cool to ice or do both.

Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until the edges begin to lightly brown.  Remove from the oven and carefully place on a cooling rack to cool completely

Once cooled decorate as you wish.  For the ones in the picture I used Royal Icing.

Royal Icing

 

I have also discovered I do not have the patience or artistic talent to create great looking cookies.  If your looking for a good blog about cookie decorating try http://bakeat350.blogspot.com or http://sweetopia.net/  two  very great looking cookie sites.

There are a number of different recipes for Royal Icing, which is an icing that will harden rather quickly and is great for decorating.  For ease in making I use the meringue powder, or when I can find it pasteurized egg whites.

 

Christmas Tree Cookie
Christmas Tree Cookie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Wilton Meringue Powder, 8 oz Can
24 Pcs Icing Piping Nozzles Pastry Tips Cotton Bag Cake Decoration Kit Icing Crafts
DayMark 115435 12″ Hand-E-Grip Disposable Pastry Bag with Dispenser (Roll of 100)

 

 

The Official Taste Tester & Santa Lookout
The Official Taste Tester & Santa Lookout

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just love this time of year.  So many old familar smells and all those cookies, there is a big sock on the chimney that has some very interesting scents coming from it, I wish I could read a calendar so I’d know how many days to Christmas.

 

 

Christmas Tree Cookies
Yields 24
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Save Recipe
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Prep Time
3 hr
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
4 hr
Prep Time
3 hr
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
4 hr
Ingredients
  1. Ingredients for Christmas Tree Cookies
  2. 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  3. 1 tsp baking powder
  4. ½ tsp salt
  5. 1 cup softened butter
  6. 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
  7. 2 whole eggs
  8. 1 Tbs vanilla
  9. 1+ tsp dark green food coloring
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and a pale yellow. With the mixer on low add the eggs one at a time and combine thoroughly .
  4. Add the vanilla and the food coloring mix well. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. If it looks too light green add a little more coloring.
  5. Divide the dough in thirds and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to overnight.
  6. On a well floured surface roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thickness and using a Christmas tree cutter cut out the shapes and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or one with a silpat. You can decorate with sprinkles at this point or wait until cookies are cool to ice or do both.
  7. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until the edges begin to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and carefully place on a cooling rack to cool completely
  8. Once cooled decorate as you wish. For the ones in the picture I used Royal Icing.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 

  If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

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  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved

 

 

 

 

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Cornbread Sloppy Joe Casserole

cornbread and pork casserole
cornbread and pork casserole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cornbread Sloppy Joe Casserole

I found the basis for this recipe on the back of a “Manwich Sloppy Joe” sauce.  It will work well with just about any type of left over meat or ground beef.  If your going to use ground beef you should figure on at least 8 ounces per person and 2 pounds + 1 large can of sloppy joe = 4 servings.  It is a relatively easy to make recipe and is quite filling.

Ingredients for Cornbread Sloppy Joe Casserole

Serves 2-4 persons

  1. 2 pounds ground beef
  2. 1 medium onion finely chopped
  3. 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  4. 1 large can sloppy joe sauce
  5. 1 bx Jiffy corn muffin mix
  6. 1 egg
  7. 1/3 cup milk
  8. 4-5 Tbs butter

 

Directions for Cornbread Sloppy Joe Casserole

Preheat oven to 400º

Liberally grease a 9 x9 inch baking pan with the 2-3 Tbs of butter.

In a large saute pan with 2-3 tbs of butter saute the onion and celery until soft.  When the vegetables begin to soften add the ground beef and brown. 

Once the beef is cooked (if the pan is large enough, mix in pan or transfer beef to a large bowl) add the sloppy joe sauce and mix completely.  Pour into the greased baking pan.

In a large bowl combine the muffin mix egg and milk and stir until combined and fairly smooth.  The mix will be slightly lumpy but that’s OK.

Spoon the cornbread over the top of the ground beef covering it completely.

Bake for 25 minutes until the cornbread has risen and is slightly browned on top.

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware 9″ Square Dish, Cherry
OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Flexible Turner
OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set, White

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Beef, it’s delicious corn bread, a tastey sauce to boot!  What’s not to love?  5 paws

IMG

 

 

 

Cornbread sloppy Joe Casserole
Serves 4
Write a review
Save Recipe
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Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. Serves 2-4 persons
  2. 2 pounds ground beef
  3. 1 medium onion finely chopped
  4. 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  5. 1 large can sloppy joe sauce
  6. 1 bx Jiffy corn muffin mix
  7. 1 egg
  8. 1/3 cup milk
  9. 4-5 Tbsbutter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. Liberally grease a 9 x9 inch baking pan with the 2-3 Tbs of butter.
  3. In a large saute pan with 2-3 tbs of butter saute the onion and celery until soft. When the vegetables begin to soften add the ground beef and brown the beef.
  4. Once the beef is cooked (if the pan is large enough mix in pan or transfer beef to a large bowl) add the sloppy joe sauce and mix completley. Pour into the greased baking pan.
  5. In a large bowl combine the muffin mix egg and milk and stir until combined and fairly smooth. The mix will be slightly lumpy but that's OK.
  6. Spoon the cornbread over the top of the ground beef covering it completely.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes until the cornbread has risen and is slightly browned on top.
Adapted from Manwhich Sloppy Joe Sauce
Adapted from Manwhich Sloppy Joe Sauce
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

  If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

 Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved

 

Posted on

Raspberry Galette

Raspberry Galette
Raspberry Galette

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raspberry Galette

After making mini turnovers I had some excess raspberry filling I didn’t want to go to waste.  It seems the galette is the “new” rage for desserts.  A rustic pie that fits the bill. The term itself seems to have expanded from flat round cakes to a variety of pie-like free form pastries.  No matter what, they are fun and easy to make.  Try individual galettes.  They don’t have to be just sweet, make them savory if you want, like a pizza.  It seems that just about anything baked into a flat shape can now be termed a galette, it really doesn’t matter, in the end that’s the great thing about cooking there are no “galette” police lurking behind the fridge, make what you want, call it what you’d like, and enjoy!

The only rule is that since the pastry isn’t blind baked you shouldn’t use a really wet filling as it will make the bottom crust pastey.

Ingredients for Raspberry Galette

  1. 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  2. 1/4 cup butter chilled in cubes
  3. 1/4 cup chilled shortening
  4. 6 Tbs cold water ( more if needed)
  5. pinch of salt
  6. 1/2 – 1 can raspberry pie filling

Directions for Raspberry Galette

This is a smaller version of our flaky pie crust: http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/flaky-pie-crust , it’s easy to make in the food processor.

With the pastry blade in the processor place the flour,butter,shortening and salt in the bowl and pulse a few times to combine.  With the processor running add the water slowly by tablespoonfuls until a ball forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead into a ball.  Flatten it out and wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for an hour up to 2 days.

When your ready to proceed roll the dough out on a well floured surface to about a 12-14 inch diameter and about 1/4 inch in thickness. Place the dough onto a lightly greased sheet pan or silpat on a sheet pan. Put the filling in the center of the dough and then carefully begin to fold the ends up and slightly over the filling until the galette is completely folded around the filling.

Preheat the oven to 425º and once prepared bake the galette for about 20 minutes until lightly browned.

When finished remove from the oven and place carefully onto a wire rack to cool slightly.

To serve, slice and serve warm with powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or both!  It’s just as good cold.

 

Here are a few items to help with this recipe:
Silpat AE420295-07 Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet Size, 11-5/8-Inch x 16-1/2-Inch
Baker’s Secret 1061483 10-by-16-Inch Nonstick Cooling Rack, Set of 2

 

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A flakey, tastey, buttery pie crust with a sweet berry filling.  What’s not to love?  It’s a definite 5 paw attempt!

 

IMG

 

 

 

 

 

Raspberry Galette
Serves 4
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  2. 1/4 cup butter chilled in cubes
  3. 1/4 cup chilled shortening
  4. 6 Tbs cold water ( more if needed)
  5. pinch of salt
  6. 1/2 - 1 can raspberry pie filling
Instructions
  1. This is a smaller version of our flaky pie crust: http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/flaky-pie-crust , it's easy to make in the food processor.
  2. With the pastry blade in the processor place the flour,butter,shortening and salt in the bowl and pulse a few times to combine. With the processor running add the water slowly by tablespoonfuls until a ball forms.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead into a ball. Flatten it out and wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for an hour up to 2 days.
  4. When your ready to proceed roll the dough out on a well floured surface to about a 12-14 inch diameter. Place the dough onto a lightly greased sheet pan or silpat on a sheet pan. Put the filling in the center of the dough and then carefully begin to fold the ends up and slightly over the fillinguntil the galette is completely folded around the filling.
  5. Preheat the oven to 425º and once prepared bake the galette for about 20 minutes until lightly browned.
  6. When finished remove from the oven and place carefully onto a wire rack to cool slightly.
  7. To serve, slice and serve with powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or both!
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

 

copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved