CANDY CANE COOKIES

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

½ cup shortening

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 egg

1 ½ teaspoons almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon red food color

½ cup crushed peppermint candy

½ cup granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly mix butter, shortening, confectioners’ sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt.

Divide dough in half; blend red food coloring into one half.

Shape 1 teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope. For smooth, even ropes, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist. Complete cookies one at a time. Place them on an un-greased baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle of cane.

Bake about nine minutes or until set and very light brown. Mix candy and granulated sugar. Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture; remove from baking sheet. Makes about four dozen cookies.

GOOF BALLS

1 cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup white Karo syrup

(Bring the above three ingredients to a boil.)

Add:

2 teaspoons vanilla or almond flavor

10 oz. (1 big cup) peanut butter

Pour over 6 cups Special K cereal

Drop on wax paper

You just need three ingredients: Chocolate chips, crunchy chow mein noodles and some sort of candy that looks like little eggs. We used speckled Easter M&Ms, but jellybeans or even peanuts could work.  I used a little more than one bag of milk chocolate chips for each 12 ounce bag of chow mein.

Line a couple cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper. This will keep the nests from sticking.

In a medium sized pan, melt the chocolate chips on the stove (medium heat), stirring so the chocolate doesn’t burn. This will only take a couple minutes. Remove from heat and add the noodles, stirring until they’re well coated. Then use a large spoon to drop a good-sized dollop of the chocolate chow mein mixture on your lined cookie sheets. Our nests are about 4 inches across.

Carefully check to make sure the mixture’s not too hot to touch, then use your fingers to shape each drop into the shape of a nest: circular with a little indent in the center. Move on to the next nest.

After you’re through forming the nests, the chocolate should still be sticky but not real warm (don’t want to melt your eggs!). Add a couple egg candies to the center of each nest. The chocolate will work like glue to hold them in.  Chill them in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (we left ours overnight).  To make them into little gifts, I placed each nest in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon.

My kids are 5 and 3, so they were able to help stir the melting chocolate, help form the nests and add the egg candies (their favorite part). We thought the nests looked great using three eggs that were the same color (shades of blue, for example) or mixing it up. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

]]> http://www.playdateyakima.com/2009/04/08/this-ones-not-for-the-birds/feed/ 0 http://www.playdateyakima.com/2008/11/24/book-shop-hosts-cookie-contest/ http://www.playdateyakima.com/2008/11/24/book-shop-hosts-cookie-contest/#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:03:37 +0000 http://playdateyakima.com/?p=1957 Out On A Whim Children’s Book Store will host a decorated cookie contest at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12.

For a chance to win a free book, children should bring in a batch of cookies they’ve decorated with holiday cheer. Store-bought cookies must be hand decorated by the child to qualify. The kids will vote to decide the winner.

Out On A Whim is located at 108 S. Third Ave. in Yakima. For more information, call 576-3635.

When we wake up Christmas morning, making breakfast is usually one of the last things that comes to mind. With all the hubbub, shrieks of delight and the usual testing out of new toys, moms need to make life easier on themselves!

The following recipes require very little prep time, and deliver with good taste. To make things even easier, some preparation can be done in advance.

These recipes are sure to please even the pickiest little eaters, and provide warm memories for years to come. Serve with a mug of cocoa, tea, or your favorite juice.

Adrienne Humfeld lives in Yakima with her husband and daughter, Macrina. She is an avid gourmet cook, artist and writer.

Glenna’s Brunch Eggs

Onion Roasted Potatoes

Chocolate Filled Croissants