Holiday Bake Along - TW Designworks

December 17th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

Teresa has another winner here, with or without sugar! LOL

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Lucky Stars Cookies

This is one of the most unusual cookies I make every year at Christmas… it’s one of those “labor of love” type recipes you only do on special occasions because it’s…well…a bit on the challenging side. But, it’s still well worth the effort because the results are both pretty *and* quite yummy.And, if by some fluke, you happen to flub up the recipe and substitute salt in place of sugar in the dough, it’s still edible! Yes, during one of our Annual Cookie Bakes, that actually *did* happen. But I wouldn’t really recommend the salty version… unless you like “savory” cookies. ;)

Ingredients

1-1/3 c. sifted flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 eggFilling:
1-1/4 c. walnuts, chopped fine
1/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. water
1/16 tsp. maple extractYou’ll need a star-shaped cookie cutter: a five-pointed star, large enough so that a teaspoon of filling can be placed in the middle, and the “points” of the star can be folded up around the filling.

Step by Step

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. (375 for dark cookie sheets)Filling:Mix all filling ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cookies:

1) Cream butter and sugar.
2) Blend in vanilla, almond extract, salt and egg.
3) Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Mix well.
4) Roll out to 1/8″ thickness, and cut the dough with the star cookie cutter.
5) Place a tsp. of the filling in the center of each star, folding tips of star up around filling.
6) You’ll need to pinch the edges of the dough together gently so that the points stay in place.
7) Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
8 ) Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, of until light golden brown. Makes 3 dozen.
9) Serve and Enjoy!

Hints

If not pinched together tightly enough, the dough will expand a bit during baking and will cause the points to open, ruining the shape of the cookie. Don’t be afraid to use quite a bit of flour when rolling out the dough: it’s fairly soft and sticky. These cookies are rather labor intensive, but the flavor is just wonderful. In addition, the small star shape is very festive: the perfect addition to a beautiful Christmas cookie tray!

TW Designworks

I’m Teresa Wentzler and my company is TW Designworks. I specialize in creating fantasy-inspired counted cross stitch designs, which are sold through needlework retailers, and via PatternsOnLine.com Also available through the TW Designworks website are fine art giclee prints of my pen and ink drawings.Please visit us online at: http://www.twdesignworks.com.
Blog: Artistic License at: http://www.teresa-wentzler.com

Holiday Bake Along - Olavia’s Hand Knitting Patterns

December 16th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

While not necessarily a traditional Holiday Cookie, they ARE a classic and tasty flavor combo!

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

My first attempt at making these cookies was very positively received by the group of young adults with whom I was staying. We were having an all night party. I made the cookies at about 11 PM and by 3 AM 3 dozen cookies were gone.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar packed1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup peanut butter (may substitute other types of butter such as cashew butter)

2 eggs

chocolate chips

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
1) Mix together first five ingredients.
2) Then add the butter and eggs.
3) Mix together using your hands. Now add chocolate chips.
4) Form the batter into small balls and lay onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5) Dip a fork into a glass of milk. Using the fork, press down each ball.
6) Bake for 10 – 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
7) Let cool and serve. Yields two to three dozen cookies depending on the size of each cookie.
8 ) Serve and Enjoy!

Olavia’s Hand Knitting Patterns

Olavia’s
books and hand knitting patterns
http://www.oknitting.com
…combining stylish design with basic knitting techniques.Do you have a copy of oknitting.com’s new book? Yarn Therapy is a learn-to-knit pattern book.“The knitting basics tutorial include clear, step-by-step photos…The projects in this book are wonderful.” -Donna Druchunas (The Knitted Rug, Artic Lace, Ethnic Knitting Discovery, and Kitty Knits)

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

Holiday Bake Along - Beth Sullivan Designs

December 14th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

We deal with a LOT of dietary restrictions in this household, so I’m pretty sympathetic to others with such problems. Here is an excellent EGGLESS cookie recipe from Beth Sullivan.

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007Eggless Roll-Out Cookies

This is a great recipe to use with kids! A good friend of mine has a child with an egg allergy. When I wanted to do roll-out cookies in our play group with our preschoolers, I found a version of this recipe at www.cooks.com and tried it. I wound up tweaking the recipe a bit and have been using it for roll-out cookies ever since. I love the fact that every ingredient can be eaten without cooking so it’s safe to use around kids. As well, when the children make very thick cookies they will still be fine to eat since it doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 sticks butter (room temperature)

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

food coloring (optional)

colored sugar (optional)

Step by Step

1) Mix everything except colored sugar together well with food coloring if desired.
2) Add more powdered sugar if necessary.
3) Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
4) Roll out dough and use cookie cutters to cut shapes.
5) Decorate with colored sugar.
6) Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until edges turn slightly brown.
7) Serve and Enjoy!

Hints

Here are a few hints when making roll-out cookies with kids…
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on the counter to lessen the sticking.
- Press the cookie cutter down into the dough. Then remove the excess dough leaving the cookie cutter in place. Use a spatula to transfer the cookie and cutter to a small piece of parchment paper before removing the cookie cutter.
- When doing cookies with multiple children, mark the corners of small parchment pieces with their initials to keep the cookie owners straight.
- If rolling doesn’t work, let the kids work directly on the parchment paper with open shape cookie cutters and pack the dough piece by piece into the shape from the top.
- Separate cookies into batches by size and thickness when baking and adjust timing accordingly so some of the smaller ones don’t get too brown.

Beth Sullivan Designs

Beth Sullivan Designs creates and sells unique custom quilted items and patterns. T-shirt quilts, quilted name signs, terry cloth bibs, pillow wraps and table runners are only a few of the unique, high-quality items that can be custom ordered. Beth Sullivan Designs prides itself in providing top-quality items using only the very best fabric and attention to detail in every item. Also a quilt pattern design company, it is dedicated to providing quilt patterns that are well-written, easy-to-understand and perfect in scope for the new quilter looking for guidance. Located in Bellingham, MA, Beth Sullivan Designs travels to area craft fairs and sells items through the company website. Beth Sullivan Designs - http://www.bethsullivandesigns.com

Holiday Bake Along - Batiks by Design

December 13th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

I have decided that it was a tactical error on my part not to have Patti send me a batch of these cookies to *taste test* LOL

Just wait til next year!

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007

Cherry Oatmeal Dream Cookies

My mother had all of us baking cookies in the week or so before Christmas and this recipe is one of our favorites (although I always pulled the cherry off of the top before eating them!). As we visited friends and family during the holidays, we would always take them a plate of our cookies that was greatly appreciated. I still bake cookies with my daughter who is now 13 and do the same thing as we visit friends and family.. This year my mom is having a hard time getting the baking done so we’ve promised to help her finish it when we arrive at their house for Christmas.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 T. maraschino cherry liquid
1 cup walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
1) Cream butter and sugar.
2) Add all other ingredients.
3) Beat well.
4) Shape into small balls.
5) Press down with your thumb and top each with a half of a cherry.
6) Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes 6 dozen cookies.
7) Serve and Enjoy!

Batiks by Design

My name is Patti Oakley and I own Batiks by Design, an online store specializing in traditional batik design fabrics imported directly from Indonesia and Bali batiks. I have been in business for a little over a year and I have done 3 quilt shows this year in Paducah, Nashville, and Houston.I started my business after taking a class at the AQS Paducah show where I used some of my traditional batiks that I had purchased when I lived in Indonesia. The teacher and many of the students loved the fabrics and asked if they could be purchased in the United States. I didn’t know. I did some research and found it was available only in a few of the designs and colors. I was planning on spending 2 months in Jakarta that summer, so I made some contacts and purchases and started selling it online. Little by little, interest has picked up and I’ve had only favorable responses to the fabric. I also carry Bali fabrics because they work so well with the traditional designs and I love them as well. I have added patterns that work with my fabrics and kits for many of the popular designs www.batiksbydesign.com
www.batiksbydesign.wordpress.com

Holiday Bake Along - Fiberworks Needlework Shop

December 6th, 2007 by Tink Boord-Dill

This recipe adds everybodys’ favorite Red Hots to popcorn Balls, had a kick and a bit of holiday color!

I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s Holiday Bake Along. Be sure and check out previous recipes, as well!

Tink

*When I dream, I cook and bake like an artist!*

TheArmchairChef.com
Needlework and Quilting Holiday Bake Along 2007Popcorn Balls

Each Christmas, it is a family tradition that everyone helps make the popcorn balls. Each person has to butter their hands as the red hot mixture gets to just the right temperature. Then it’s a race after the red hots are poured over the popcorn to form balls before the sauce cools. Then, of course, there is lots of sampling to make sure they are edible for others!

Ingredients

2c. sugar

1c. white corn syrup

2T. cider vinegar

2T. butter

1/2 t.. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

1c. red hots (7 oz bag) dissolve in water overnight

4-5 bags of popped popcorn

Step by Step

1) Cook sugar, corn syrup, vinegar, butter, salt and red hots to 245 degrees.
2) Check temperature with a cookie thermometer.
3) Remove from heat and add baking soda. When it foams, pour over popped corn. (for easier eating, sift out old maids after popping)
4) Form into balls.
5) Serve and Enjoy!

Makes about 30 medium balls

Fiberworks Needlework Shop

From Fiberworks Needlework Shop in Waverly, Iowa. We are a full line needlework and quilting store. Many patterns, threads, fabric, accessories, buttons, and beads to choose from. We offer classes in many techniques. Finishing and framing services are also available. We gladly mail order and have a website where you can purchase items. www.myfiberworks.com or email or call with order information too!

Fiberworks Needlework Shop

108 E Bremer Ave

Waverly, IA 50677

1-800-307-4103