Secret Recipe Club-Quick StrawberryShortcakes

This month I joined in with the Secret Recipe Club hosted by Amanda from Amanda's Cookin'. Each month you are assigned a blog, make something from the blog and post it on a certain day, like today. The secret? You don't tell until posting day.

So, who was my blogger, well that would be Wendy, from The Weekend Gourmet. One of the great things about a bloghop is that you are introduced to blogs that you may not know exists, I had no idea about Wendy and I am so glad I do now! Go check her out, she has alot of great looking stuff!

I decided to make her Shortcut Strawberry Shortcakes, and is exactly what they are. I did change a couple things, just to make it a little simpler..isn't that what "shortcut" means? To make it more simpler?

Wanna join in on the fun for next month? Just go here to sign up!

Shortcut Strawberry Shortcakes
By: Wendy, at The Weekend Gourmet

1 container of strawberries, sliced
Sugar
1 container of Grands biscuits
Cool Whip

At least one hour before serving, mix your strawberries and sugar together and put into the refrigerator. I sprinkled my strawberries with about a tablespoon of vanilla sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and sprinkle the top of the biscuits with some more sugar, again I used vanilla sugar and bake the biscuits 8-10 minutes, or until done. Let cool slightly.

Split your biscuit, top with some of the strawberries and Cool Whip. There you have it! Easy Peasy!

50 Women Game Changers in Food-#4 Martha Stewart's Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream

Last week I came across Mary at One Perfect Bite, she and a few other bloggers have decided to tackle the list from Gourmet of the top 50 women chefs. For the next 46 weeks, I plan to go along with them. There are some on the list that I have not heard of, so I hope to learn a little bit along the way. I have missed the first three being 1-Julia Child, that is no surprise to me, 2-Alice Waters, and 3-Fannie Farmer. This leads us to #4, Martha Stewart.

Martha is one that you either love or hate. I like her, although she will not be the first one that I run to for a recipe as I have not had much luck with her recipes. Although this chocolate cake is a keeper. The one reason that I decided on this cake was because of the frosting, there is no powdered sugar, marshmallow cream takes the place of it and if you know me, I can't turn down anything that has marshmallow in it.

Next week: M.F.K. Fisher

Wanna see more of Martha:

Mary-One Perfect Bite

Val-More than burnt toast

Taryn-Have Kitchen will Feed

Susan-The Spice Garden

Claudia-A seasonal Cook in Turkey

Heather-Girlichef

Miranda-Mangoes and Chutney

Jeanette-Healthy Living

Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream Frosting

By: Martha Stewart

For the cake:

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 jars (7.5 oz each) marshmallow cream

2/3 cup cocoa

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 Tbsp vanilla

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions,alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl as needed.

Pour batter into pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream:

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Beat in cocoa, chocolate and vanilla.

Place 1 layer on platter and spread top with 1 cup buttercream. Place the second layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining buttercream.

Taco Pasta

With a family of 5, I am always on the look for low cost and filling meals. I am on a budget that I have to stick with. We don't eat out for a couple of reasons, 1-we really can't afford it, and 2-I can recreate the meals that we like from restaurants for a lot cheaper. This Taco Pasta is a low cost meal and it makes alot, enough to feed my family and have plenty left over for lunch or dinner, if we choose to do a "fend for yourself" night. If you are a smaller family, you can cut the recipe in half. Enjoy!

Taco Pasta

1 lb ground beef
16 oz small dry pasta. any shape
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups salsa
2 packets taco seasoning
8 oz block cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
Shredded cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the ground meat and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Once the meat is cooked through, drain off the excess fat and mix in the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the salsa and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and pasta water and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Top with shredded cheese and cover with lid just until the cheese is melted.

Top with sour cream and more salsa, if desired.

Peach Amaretto Jam

A couple of months ago Ball Canning sent me a sample pack of their Small Batch Pectin, I knew right off what I would be making with it. I figured I would make a small batch in case it was just nasty...I know, how could peaches and Amaretto not be good, right? Of course, this is delish and what I now think of as Summer in a jar! Enjoy it on your toast, homemade biscuits (or store bought), thumbprint cookies, or really just from the spoon!

Peach Amaretto Jam

2 cups peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped--I like mine a little chunky
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 package Small Batch Pectin
1/4 cup Amaretto

Mix the peaches and pectin together in a large pot on medium high heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Once to a boil add your sugar and amaretto and bring back to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Ladle into your jars, wipe the rims, put on the lids and rings and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Remember to start timing with the water returns to a boil in the water bath.

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

Try saying that 3 times fast! The only thing that I can say about this cake is YUM! It was gone overnight in my house. Although, I am not sure about the Cola, you really can't taste it. Maybe it helps with the moistness, not sure but I will be making this over and over again!

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake
1 cup Coca-cola
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
3 Tbsp cocoa
2 cup sugar
2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla


In a saucepan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, margarine and cocoa to a boil; mix
the sugar, flour and salt, Pour in the boiling liquid and beat well. Add
the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour into a greased
and floured sheet cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.


Frosting:
1/4 lb. margarine
3 Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp cream or milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. confectioners' sugar


In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk and heat until the butter
melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients, and spread on the hot cake. Cool
and cut.

Honey Rolls

I cannot tell you how excited I am that these actually turned out and taste fantastic! One of my personal goals is to make yummy tasting bread that is fluffy and yeasty...these were all of those! These have a hint of sweetness due to the honey you add in the dough and the honey and butter mixture you brush on the top before you bake them, although despite the sweetness, I think this bread would be great as a loaf for your favorite sandwich!

Honey Rolls
Yields 12 rolls

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup honey, plus 1 Tbsp for brushing
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp butter, melted

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Add the honey, salt and egg to the yeast mixture and stir until blended. Add 3 cups flour and mix until the dough comes together, it will be sticky. On a lightly floured surface knead the dough until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour to keep the dough from sticking if necessary, being careful not to add too much flour. The dough will become more workable the longer you knead it. If you have a stand mixture, attache the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, or until it becomes elastic.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape into round balls and place in a lightly greased pan. Cover and let rise for another 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and the 1 Tbsp honey. Brush over the rolls and bake 10-13 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Strawberry Mango Salsa

I have been kicking myself all weekend because I did not make this sooner. I saw this recipe about a month ago from Maria and just couldn't get it out of my mind. I knew that I would have to make it so my brain could rest. Just for the record, it has still haunted me because I have ate it all weekend and can't wait to make another batch. It has that sweet/spicy combo that I like and is a great snack (or meal) on these hot days. Make it, you will love it!

Strawberry Mango Salsa
From: Two Peas and Their Pod

1 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 medium mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 half of a large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/4 of a purple onion, chopped
1/2 of an avocado, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

I like my chunks in the salsa on the small size, so chop them how you like them. :)

Mix all the ingredients together and toss to coat with the lime juice. Enjoy!!

I'm back and I brought you a Peach Pie Bar

I can't believe it myself, I am posting a blog post! It has been way too long, how is everyone?...that is if I have any readers still lurking around these parts. Well, let's not waste any time and get to these bars. Tennessee weather is so strange this year. This past winter we had so much snow. Not like blizzard snow, but for TN when you have and inch or two several times in the season, that is alot. And what happened to spring? One day we are in the 50's and the next we are in the 90's. There is no in between. So with the 90 degree weather, I want the summer fruits. There is a roadside stand that have fresh peaches from South Carolina and I just had to have them, so glad I didn't skip them..they hit the spot. We made peach jam, peach amaretto jam, sliced some up to freeze, some to eat by themselves and these bars. These bars are quick to throw together and a few ingredients. Perfect for an afternoon snack, or breakfast :), they won't last long.

Peach Pie Bars

For the dough:
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

In the bowl of your mixer, dump in flour, sugar, and butter. Beat with the paddle attachment for a couple of minutes until the dough comes together in small chunks.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Set aside the remaining dough.
Bake the dough for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Let cool for 10 minutes.

For the filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups peaches, peeled, sliced and coarsely chopped

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, sour cream and flour to the eggs. Mix well and then fold in peaches.

Pour mixture over baked crust and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the reserved dough on top of the peach mixture and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Let cool one hour before serving.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies Finale

This is the final week of the 12 WOCC, and although I don't have a cookie for you, I am linking up so that I can see what everyone else baked!

Thank you so much for baking along this year, it was a ton of fun and so many new recipes to try!

Happy Holidays!!!


Week 12 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

Holidays....

The holidays are here and upon us and I honestly am having a hard time finding the time to even sit and think for a few minutes to myself. With that said I am taking a break until after the first of the year. I know, my fellow cookie bakers, I am bailing on you the last 2 weeks, and I am sorry, but honestly don't see cookie baking in my future until the week of Christmas. The next 2 weekends I am out of town and with holiday parties, kids chorus concerts, high school wrestling...they come first and then baking is second. That is just life for me right now.

I hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thumbprint Cookies-Week 10

One of my favorite cookies...I know, I say that alot, is thumbprint cookies. I am not sure what it is about them that I will choose first off of a goodie tray. I have shown you the Butter Meltaways that were filled with that sweet cream cheese filling, this week I am going with a butter cookie filled with your choice of jam. I have used raspberry, strawberry and apricot and all of them went well together, although my preference would be the tanginess of raspberry.

So here we are at week 10, only 2 more to go. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season so far!

Giant's Thumbprint Cookies
from: Gale Gand

8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, soft insides scraped out
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup jam of your choice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter 3 sheep pans or use 1 pan and bake the cookies in 3 batches.

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) until fluffy. Add the vanilla scrapings and salt and mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix at low speed until incorporated.

Using your hands, roll the dough into golf ball size balls and arrange them 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet flattening them out a bit as you go. Using your thumb, press the top of each cookie to make a shallow well. Roll your thumb back and forth to widen the well. Using a small spoon, fill the wells with jam.

Bake until very lightly browned around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an air tight container.

Week 10 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

Hot Cocoa Bread-Week 9

I know, I am late. I am sorry. With the Holiday and family gatherings..time just got away from me. I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I did, and I am sure I added a few pounds around the waistline as well.



This week I decided to do a quick bread. A few weeks ago I was contacted by Allison from Lake Champlain Chocolates asking if I would be interested in sampling some of their cocoa. It is organic and Fair Trade and would be perfect for any baking that I would be doing. Of course, I would love to try it!! And since this bread only uses cocoa, it would be perfect and I was not disappointed! I will be making this bread in mini loaf form, and will add a chocolate ganache to the top and add some mini marshmallows. My boys loved this so much that they finished the loaf in a day, and it was a big loaf! The recipe warned that it would make a big loaf to use the biggest loaf pan, I used the biggest one I had, and should have split it into 2 loaves. It overflowed from the top and took a little longer to bake.


This week is the first of December which means that we only have 3 more weeks of cookies left! And I need to tell my fellow cookie bakers, that I have not been ignoring your posts. My work place has decided to put a new firewall on our computers..which enables me to comment. I can look all day, but it blocks me to leave a comment. Once I get home for the day, the mommy in me takes over and I don't get alot of time to be online to comment. I mean, what do they expect me to do here?? work?? :)


Now, I have a surprise for you...keep reading on down and you'll see!

Hot Cocoa Bread:

from: Chickens in the Road

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Combine cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Cream with a mixer. Add egg and vanilla. Mix again. Add the cocoa powder and about 1/2 cup of the buttermilk; mix well. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the marshmallows) and stir to combine. Stir in the marshmallows.


Spoon into a greased loaf pan. This makes a large loaf–use your largest loaf pan.
Bake at 350-degrees for one hour.


Storey Publications sent me a copy of this book, A World of Cake to review. It is beautiful! I have to admit, I love a book with pictures...probably, if you don't have pics in the book...I am going to pass it up. The book gives you a world tour in cake form...have you ever wondered how they make the moon cakes that you see on blogland?? The recipe is in the book...funnel cakes?? it's there...name the cake, it is in there! You want a copy??? Just leave me a comment on this post. Tweet it, Facebook it...blog about it, come back and leave me another comment for more chances.

I will draw the winner and announce on This Friday's, December 3rd, cookie post.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies-Week 8

I have to be honest, there has been nothing baking in my kitchen this week. So, I thought we could take a trip down memory lane. I made these last year and they quickly became one of my favorites. If you need a recipe that will make alot of cookies...say 6 dozen...this one is for you!

Want the recipe? Go here.

Happy Baking! Make sure to check out the other cookie bakers!

Week 8 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

Butter Meltaways--Week 7

Can you believe that we are over half way mark? Week 7 and we have 5 more weeks to go. I make these every year for Christmas, these are the ones that will always be on my goodie trays. They are simple and quick and delicious!

Butter Meltaways with Cream Cheese Frosting
By: Paula Deen

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy.

Separate dough into 4 equal parts and roll each into a smooth log. Wrap each log in flour dusted wax paper. Chill dough for at least 6 hours. After six hours, allow dough to sit out for 15 minutes to soften.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets.

Slice dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting:
1 cup confectioner sugar
1 (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 to 1 drop food coloring

In a medium bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Pipe or dollop a small amount on top of cooled cookies.

***Here are my notes on this recipe. This recipe calls to make 8 dozen cookies. That is why you roll it into logs. I did not do this. I also did not chill my dough. Once it was mixed, I rolled it into 1 inch balls with floured hands and it worked fine. When I roll it out and cut into shapes, then I chill it, but not for 6 hours. Only until it is firm enough to roll.***

Week 7 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Bars-Week 6

Oh my people, we are at week 6 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas cookies! I thought all week that this is week 5, it has been that kind of week. These weeks just keep going by quicker and quicker! I don't know about you, but I am excited to see all the Christmas decorations going up in the stores and I have noticed the holiday commercials starting to show up. :)



This week I needed something comforting and easy. I went back to the Oatmeal Raisin cookies I made for Week 2, subbed the raisins for dried cranberries and added some dark chocolate. I think I like cookie form better than the bar form, but the hubby loved them, even though he doesn't like cranberries.



Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars

Adapted from: Quaker Oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dark chocolate chunks



Heat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats, cranberries and chocolate; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Potato Candy-Week 5

One of things that I remember my mom making every Christmas is this potato candy. She learned from her granny, who is someone I wished I could have known. I hear I am just like she was. Before now, I never could get this candy to turn out. It is strange to me how when you add powdered sugar to a boiled potato, it liquefies...resulting in adding more sugar until it becomes a ball of dough. So before now, I would cheat. I would take a can of vanilla frosting and a 1 lb box of powdered sugar mix it all together until a ball would form. Hey, it worked for me and my mother would always say "your granny would not be proud", in my defense, I never met the woman so how would I know? She should have left me some sort of book. :)

Week 5 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies is here and that leaves 7 more weeks of some yummy things! I can now say that my Great Granny would be proud of me for making this the way she would. I now don't have to buy the canned stuff, because I now have the potato candy making as a success!

I think I should go ahead and tell you that I don't have an exact recipe, I'll just kind of explain how I did it. :)

Potato Candy

1 small potato, peeled, quartered and boiled until done

2lb bag of powdered sugar

Peanut Butter

Put the cooled potato in a medium bowl (I used my mixer with the paddle attachment) slowly add the powdered sugar, the potato will become liquefied, keep adding the powdered sugar until it forms a ball. You won't use the whole bag of powdered sugar, but you may need a little more or less than the 1 lb box. Once you have a ball, lightly dust your workspace with the powdered sugar and roll out the dough to the thickness that you like. Spread with peanut butter, and again, this is to your liking add as much or as little, just make sure that if you add more that your seam is sealed so it doesn't leak out when rolled up. Roll you dough pinwheel style and once rolled slice into slices.

Week 5 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

Maggot Pudding with cockroaches for The #GreatHallowTweet Bloghop

Day 2 of The #GreatHallowTweet Bloghop and I give you maggot pudding with cockroaches. Sounds delicious, huh? Don't be afraid...it really is tasty!

Make sure to visit the links on the sidebar for more Halloweenie treats!!

Maggot pudding with cockroaches

1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup rice
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup fat free milk
3 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup cranberries, or more for your tasting

Put the water in a medium saucepan and heat on medium heat until boiling. Add rice and salt and cook until water is absorbed, about 30-45 minutes. Add the milk, honey and cranberries and cook for 10 more minutes until thickened and creamy. Serve warm or chilled.

Orange Chocolate Dirt Balls-The #GreatHallowTweet Bloghop

It is day 1 of the #GreatHallowTweet Bloghop hosted by Renee from Flamingo Musings, and it is sure to be a ton of fun and give lots and lots of those Halloween treats that we love...either it be simple and sweet...or gross, either way..check out the linky on the sidebar and see what 17 other bloggers are coming up with.

For today, I chose to go a little short and sweet but something that just says Halloween when you look at them. Orange chocolate dirt balls, or oreo bon bons. When I think of Halloween, sweet comes to mind...chocolate, candy bars...the sticky gummy candies..cookies. So what better way for me to kick off this week than these little balls. You have the darkness, the blackness...from the oreo cookies and then the hard shell of the orange chocolate...the perfect colors for the day right?

Dirt Balls

1 package of oreo cookies
1 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 package of white chocolate melts, I used Wilton Candy Melts

Put all the Oreo cookies in a food processor and process until all cookies are finely crushed. Put into a medium bowl and mix with the cream cheese. Roll into balls and put onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

Melt the candy melts in a double boiler and dip the oreo balls until completely covered. Place back on the waxed paper and let sit until the chocolate is set..or if you are like me and not that patient..put into the freezer for a minute or two.

Candied Ginger Butter Cookies-Week 4

A few week ago Beth sent me a package of candied ginger. I wasn't sure what I would do with it so I thought I might just munch on it...have you ever tried it?? Boy, does it have a bite to it! I don't think that will become my snack of choice. So, while flipping through some old magazines, I came across this cookie and knew that it would be perfect to use the ginger and this weeks cookie.

Yes, we are at week 4 of cookies and I am still just as excited each week as the first to see what everyone comes up with. This cookie was not at all what I expected, but you know what? I love it! It is kind of like a spiced up shortbread, but soft and chewy in the middle. And you know, I really like the bits of the ginger in them. I will be making them again and think I will add a little more of the chopped candied ginger.

Candied Ginger Butter Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp crystallized ginger, finely chopped


2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 tsp shortening


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in the ground ginger, the cinnamon, and salt until combined. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in flour and the crystallized ginger.



Divide dough in half. On the prepared cookie sheet, press one portion of dough into a 10x2 1/2 inch rectangle. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until top is golden brown and edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Cut rectangle crosswise into 1/2 inch wide sticks. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.



Melt the chocolate and shortening in a small bowl in the microwave until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let stand until the chocolate sets.

Week 4 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

Peach Crumb Pie Bites

With it finally feeling like fall here, this week anyways, we did have a few days last week with temps back near 90. I wanted to have one last taste of Summer and these hit the spot. With them being two bite size, just grab and go, only I grabbed and went several times! Although I went with peach filling, you can always change up the fruit filling..apple, cherry, pear..whatever your tastebuds are calling for!

There are a couple of things I will tell you about the recipes. The dough recipe makes 24 mini pies. The filling recipe makes about double of what you need..so make it and freeze half, or double your dough and make more of these babies...I am sure you won't get any complaints. :) And the crumb topping makes double of what you will need too, so you may want to half that recipe.

Peach Crumb Pie Bites

Dough:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powder sugar
1 cup flour

Filling:
4 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and finely chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Crumb topping
1/2 cup flour
1/4 sugar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature

Crust:
Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour and mix scraping down the sides until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Scoop and roll into small 1 inch balls and place in the cups of an ungreased mini-muffin tin. Press in the bottom and up the sides of the cups in the muffin tins. Set aside the shells. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Filling:
Put the peaches, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until peaches are tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Crumb topping: Mix the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl with a fork. Cut the butter in using two butter knives until it resembles small peas.

Place a small scoop of the peach filling into each mini shell, filling to the top. Sprinkle on a good amount of the crumb topping pressing slightly to adhere. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the shells are a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 3 minutes. remove them from the pan and let them cool on a cooling rack.