Cherry Chocolate Kisses

This is going on my list of Christmas baking.  Every year I try to add something new and this year these Cherry Chocolate Kisses have made it to the list.  I found this cookie on Pinterest.  I have a few things from Pinterest that didn't turn out at all (like the mac and cheese in a cup)  but this one is a keeper!  They turned out just fabulous and were so easy to make.  They are basically a shortbread cookie with cherries added to the dough and you can whip them up in no time. Just make sure when you add the kisses when the cookies come out of the oven let them cool completely until they harden again, 'cause one little touch and they loose their form.  Come on, cherries and chocolate?  What's not to love! 

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, but still cool*****very important!

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons maraschino cherry “juice”

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies

36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.

4. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.

5. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the cherries.

7. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart.

8.  Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.

9.  Sprinkle each cookie with a little granulated sugar.

10.  Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.

11. Once removed from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center.

12.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Servings: approximately 36 cookies

Adapted from The Curvy Carrot

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Balls

It's been quite awhile since I've gotten around to posting a new recipe.  Since it is Christmas time I thought I'd try to get some appetizers posted. We loooove appetizers around this house.  Why?  They can be quick easy snacks to bring out if you have company, are in a rush, watching a movie, football or having a date night with your sweetie.  Even better if made ahead and frozen.  Steve and I still have date night every Friday.  It started when our kids were still at home.  Friday nights they got their own supper.  It could be cereal, toast, a sandwich anything as long as it didn't involve the stove.  And they took it to the rec room so we had the upstairs to ourselves to share some quiet time.  Now that the kids are no longer at home and we have grand kids, (and two hounds) life seems even busier than before.  So we have kept our date every Friday night.  Sometimes it's wine and appetizers, but lately it's been a cocktail or three; preferably a good dirty martini.  There's nothing better than sharing a few nibbles and cocktails with my best friend and relaxing!

So here is my  cheese ball Recipe, it's quick, easy to throw together and very hard to stop eating once you start!

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball

2 packages (8oz.) cream cheese
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup chopped green onions
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tbsp. green olives with pimento, chopped fine
3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley or 1 tbsp. dried

First get all your ingredients ready.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or Kitchen Aid  with paddle attachment and blend well.  I used marble cheese because that's what I had on hand.

With clean hands, form into balls.

I usually make six. It all depends on how big or small you want them.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to allow flavours to blend.

To this batch I also added 3 tbsp. of chopped pickled jalapenos to half of the mixture and topped them with a jalapeno piece to label them.

Cabbage Rolls

We looooooove cabbage rolls. So since it's been cooler and rainy here lately I decided to make some. This is the way my Mom used to make them. This is a true comfort food! I have been making these for my husbands work crew every Christmas for 20 years. Normally everything is just thrown together but for the purpose of this blog I will give measurements.

Cabbage Rolls

1 head of cabbage with fairly large leaves
1 lb of ground lean ground beef
1 lb of grouind pork
1 cup Uncle Ben's long grain rice
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sage

2 10oz. cans Heinz tomato soup
1 48 oz. can tomato juice

Remove the core from the cabbage. This makes taking the leaves off as they steam much easier. Steam cabbage in a large covered pot to loosen off leaves. Set aside until cool enough to handle. In large stand mixer (or by hand in large bowl), mix together ground beef, pork, rice diced onion, diced pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder and sage until thoroughly combined. Pour some of the tomato juice into a roasting pan to just to cover bottom. Place 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture on each cabbage leaf and roll up tucking in sides as you go. Place cabbage rolls in pan. Once all the rolls are in pan pour the two cans of Heinz tomato soup over then the rest of the can of tomato juice. This will make you sauce. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper and place unused cabbge leaves over the top. This prevents over browning. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Enjoy!


We find they are always better the next day.