Italian Anisette "S" Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1½ sticks of unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs, room temp
• ½ cup milk, room temp
• 5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 6 generous teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons anise extract (can use lemon or almond extract)

Frosting:

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• ½ pound of confectioners’ sugar
• 6 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 400 degrees F. Place flour, baking poder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
   
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar
   
3. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Next, mix in the anise. Add in milk and flour, alternating portions of each until they are all combined.
   
4. Turn dough onto a floured board and knead until dough is firm and not sticky (add more flour if needed.
   
5. Break off a handful of dough at a time and roll into long pencil, cut into 5 or 6 inch pieces. Shape into ‘S’ shape on ungreased cookie sheet. These cookies will puff up. Bake approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove to cool on rack, then frost. Makes about 5 dozen depending on size of cookie.
   

Frosting

1.  In a large bowl, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add in ½ pound of confectioners’ sugar. Stir in milk, stirring to incorporate well, to a desired consistency for frosting the cookies. Brush on cookies or use a spoon, apply sprinkles right away and return to rack to set.
   ​
2. Let cool completely and store in airtight containers.

Microwave Quiche for One

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 4 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
• 3 teaspoons melted butter
• pinch of salt & pepper
• 12 grape tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup torn pieces fresh bread
• 3 tablespoons grated cheese
• 3 teaspoons chopped green onion

Directions

1. Place eggs, milk, butter, salt and pepper in a 16 ounce mug. Whisk with a fork until all egg whites are broken up. 
2. Top with diced grape tomatoes, torn bread, cheese and herbs. Mix ingredients together with a fork, making sure that all ingredients are covered with egg mixture. 
3. Microwave for 4 minutes or until egg is fully cooked and garnish with green onion if desired. 

Very Merry S’Mores Snack Mix

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) box graham crackers
• 1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 5 ounces mini marshmallows
• 1 (11 ounce) box chocolate Cheerios®
• red and green chocolate coated candies

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large plastic container for storage. 
2. Serve in your favorite serving bowl...

CRANBERRY MEATBALLS WITH SOUR CREAM HERB DIP

Yields serves 10 to 12

CRANBERRY MEATBALLS WITH SOUR CREAM HERB DIP

Ingredients

For the Sour Cream Herb Dip:
• 1/2 cup Daisy Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
For the Meatballs
• 1 (14oz) can cranberry sauce
• 1 (12oz) jar chili sauce (found by the ketchup)
• 30 to 40 frozen or freshly cooked meatballs

Instructions

For the Sour Cream Herb Dip:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine, keep chilled until ready to serve. Flavors intensify when made ahead of time.
For the Meatballs:
2. Combine the cranberry sauce and chili sauce in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Add the meatballs and stir to coat. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are heated through.
3. Serve meatballs warm with the herb dip. Enjoy!

Notes

Meatballs can also be prepared in the slow cooker! Combine the cranberry sauce and chili sauce in a bowl and whisk till smooth. Add meatballs and sauce to slow cooker and cook until heated through on low heat.

Pecan Pie Cups

1c chopped pecans
1/2c all purpose flour
1c brown sugar
2/3c butter (melted)
2 eggs
Pre heat oven 350. Combine all. Mix well.
Spray and flour mini muffin tin. Bake approx, 18 minutes. When cool sprinkle powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Yummy Chicken Wings

Ingredients
3 lbs chicken wings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup honey
1 garlic clove, minced, to taste
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2 Place chicken in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3 Mix the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper and pour over the chicken.
4 Bake at 375°F (190°C) for one hour or until sauce is caramelized

Easy Apple Fritters

INGREDIENTS

1. 3/4 cup of flour
2. 1 tablespoon sugar
3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
5. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6. 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
7. 1/3 cup milk
8. 1 egg
9. 1 tablespoon applesauce
10. 1 large honey crisp apple peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
11. 1/3 cup sugar
12. 1 tablespoon cinnamon
13. Vegetable oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Add milk, egg and applesauce. Stir just to combine. Fold in apples.
2. Add 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon to large ziploc bag. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in heavy skillet, dutch oven or deep fryer to 375 degrees. It should be a couple of inches deep. Drop batter by small spoonfuls into oil, cook for 1 minute turn and cook another 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels for 1-2 minutes. Place in ziploc bag with cinnamon sugar mixture and shake gently.

NOTES

1. The fritter will puff up when cooking so in order to make sure they are cooked all the way through I used a small tablespoon to drop batter. If you drop them too big they will not cook all the way through.

Caramel and Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

Yields 40

For the Caramel

1. 1/2 cup of salted butter (1 stick)
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 1 cup light karo syrup
4. 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
5. 1/2 tsp vanilla
6. Pretzel Rods
7. 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions

1. Prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper.
2. Add butter, sugar, and karo syrup to a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Gradually add the evaporated milk, pouring it in slowly so that the mixture maintains a constant boil.
4. Stir the mixture regularly, scraping the sides until it reaches a soft ball stage. This part takes patience and could take anywhere from 20-40 minutes or longer, depending on where you live. Just test the caramel with the ice water method--drop a spoonful of hot caramel sauce into a cup of ice water and mold it with your fingers. When it's ready it will feel really soft but still pliable. Don't overcook it! Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
5. Dip Pretzel Rods in caramel. I use a spoon to scoop the sauce onto the pretzels and turn them as I go. Allow excess sauce to drip off and place the dipped pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. After the caramel has set on the pretzels (about 10-20 minutes) prepare the melted chocolate by placing chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave until melted. Dip the pretzel rods in the chocolate. (I used a spatula to spoon the chocolate onto them and smooth it around.)
7. Again lay the dipped pretzels on a parchment lined sheet to set. At this point you could add other toppings like mini chocolate chips or sprinkles.
8. Refrigerate until fully set. If chocolate pooled at the base of the pretzel you could easily shave it off with a knife, for aesthetics, if you want. Let the pretzels sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

1/2 Cup butter (1 stick), melted

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1 Can pineapple rings in 100% juice (reserve the juice)

1 Jar maraschino cherries

1 Box yellow or pineapple cake mix

1 4-serving box instant vanilla pudding

3 eggs

Vegetable oil

Milk

Instructions;

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the bundt pan by generously applying pan release (recipe below) or non-stick spray.

Melt the butter and evenly pour into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.

Cut the pineapple rings in half and alternate with the maraschino cherries around the bundt pan as shown in the picture. Set aside.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, stir the cake mix and pudding mix together. Drain the pineapple juice into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 Cup of liquid. Add this with the eggs and the amount of oil called for in the recipe to the cake mixture; following the instructions on the box.

Carefully pour the batter over the fruit and bake as instructed for a bundt cake. The cake is done when an inserted knife comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Slide a knife around the edges including the inner ring.

Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Slice between the pineapple rings and serve warm or room temperature.

Pignoli Cookies

This is an old Italian Cookie Recipe ... Christmas Pignoli Cookies ....Who's making Pignoli Cookies for Christmas?
Ingredients
1 (8 oz can of Almond Paste
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powered sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 medium egg whites, lightly beated
8 ounces Pine Nuts
Directions/Steps
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper, or use silicone linings. Place the pine nuts in a bowl. In a food processor, or by hand, break up the almond past into small pieces, and pulse with the two sugars and the flour.
Once the mixture is finely ground, begin to add the egg whites a little at a time, just until the dough comes together. Depending on the humidity, or the size of your egg whites, sometimes you may need all the egg whites, while other times you won't. Using a spoon and slightly we hands, scoop a small spoonful of the dough, and place this into the bowl of pignoli (pine nuts). Roll the cookie around until it is lightly coated, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue forming the cookies in this manner, placing them 2 inches apart on the baking pan. Bake the cookies 20 to 25 minutes, and then cool. Dust lightly with powered sugar before serving.......Enjoy!!!
Description
Almond flavored dough is rolled in pine nuts, which is then baked until golden brown. I find that these cookies do not store well, so if I need to keep them longer than a couple of days, I store them in the freezer and remove them as needed.

Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box fudge brownie mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 3 cups mini salted pretzels
• 1 (12 ounce) jar caramel sauce
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Place brownie mix, eggs, water, oil and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. 
3. Pour 1/3 of the brownie batter into the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan. Spread across the bottom of the baker using a spatula. 
4. Place two even layers of mini pretzels on top of the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter on top of the pretzels. Some of the pretzels will still be showing. That's okay. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely. 
6. Once brownies are cool, spread the caramel sauce all over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt. Slice and serve.