Recipe: Jam Cookies.

Let me start off by saying I know this recipe should actually be called Jelly Cookies, but that didn't sound very appetizing. So I changed the name.

I was inspired to make these after trying some cookies at Eric's family's Christmas dinner. The host had little shortbread sandwiches with jam in the middle that were SO good. After learning they were Raspberry Galettes from Harry & David and realizing I'd have to wait 5 - 7 business days, I decided to mess around with my holiday cookie recipe for Sugared Cherry Jewels and see what I could come up with on my own. I figured it wouldn't be too far off and at the very least, I'd still get cookies.

JAM COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
2.5 cups flour
Additional sugar, for coating
Raspberry jelly

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in corn syrup, egg yolks, and almond extract. Slowly add flour and until completely combined. Wrap dough in cling film and refrigerate for 60 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, use a fork or whisk to vigorously break up the jelly. Mix until it has a runny consistency, similar to egg yolk.

3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the additional sugar until coated. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Make a thumb-size indent on each cookie. Fill each indent with a teaspoon of jelly.

4. Bake at 325 F (162 C) for 14 - 16 minutes. Cookies will stay light colored.

5. Put nine cookies on a plate, eat them, and then pretend it never happened.

NOTE
-I used to make these cookies with a slight variation: Use vanilla extract instead of almond, and use upside down maraschino cherry halves instead of jelly. Both variations are tasty and festive.

-Next time, I think I may try cherry jelly. Almond and cherry are goooood partners in crime.

-These cookies taste like shortbread, but they're not nearly as dry or crunchy. Soft sugar cookie consistency with a shortbread taste. And jelly, which gives it that old-fashioned homemade touch. Just like the cookies Grandma used to make. Not my Grandma though, she didn't make these. I'm just assuming your Grandma did.

Boner'ppetit!

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Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole.

Growing up, I never liked sweet potatoes. It was really only something we had on Thanksgiving, and even then I wasn't sold. Every year my mom would cook up these candied yam things and I'd be like "No, thanks. Pass anything except those slimy-looking orange blocks." So imagine my surprise when I discovered a version of sweet potatoes that I was not only willing to try, but that I actually love.

It was a lot of surprise.

This recipe comes from Eric's sister, Vicki. She makes these for Thanksgiving and you better believe I'm looking forward to doing some damage. T minus three days...

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 cups mini marshmallows
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375F (190C).

1. Place sweet potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla. Mash well with a potato masher (or use an electric mixer) until smooth. Fold in 1/4 cup pecans.

3. Pour mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Top with marshmallows. Bake until golden, approximately 25 minutes.

This recipe involves a buttery, rich, sweet, crunchy version of sweet potatoes. Not unlike pumpkin pie. While I can't guarantee everyone will love them, I can guarantee that I will. And that's just as good, if you ask me.

Boner'ppetite!

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Recipe: Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Continuing on with the "seasonal" baking, I thought this recipe would make a great addition to my holiday themed pig-out fest. I came across this recipe not too long ago and immediately thought to myself "That looks good. I will make it under the guise that it is for someone else and then I will eat the shit out of it."

SPICED APPLESAUCE CAKE WITH CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
From Epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup walnuts

FOR FROSTING
5 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C) with rack in the middle. Butter an 8- or 9- inch square pan.

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

2. Beat butter, brown sugar, vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well with each addition. Add applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in walnuts.

3. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. (When you poke a toothpick down through the center of the cake and it comes out clean, it's ready.) Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen, invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake to a rack to cool completely.

4. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy.

 Sift confectioner's sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated. Spread frosting over cooled cake.

NOTE:

The original recipe called for unsalted butter. I only use salted butter because that's what I like.

When it came time to flip the cake out of the pan, of course, it broke and a quarter of it remained firmly stuck. I just pushed them back together and smothered in frosting. Either this cake calls for a thick layer of butter on the pan or it may need the butter/ flour one-two combo.

This cake is pretty dense. My mom suggested it's possible that I overmixed once the flour was added. For future reference, less mixing.

The frosting isn't very sweet and tasted a tad too much like it's original cream cheese state, in my opinion. Try bumping the confectioner's sugar up to 1 1/4 cups.

The walnuts added a nice crunch to the cake and I think I next time I will add more.

I'm also toying with the idea of adding real apple bits to the batter. Eric's coworker made an apple cake recently that had apple chunks and a caramel topping and it was really good. It was actually my inspiration for finally trying this recipe.


Boner'ppetite!

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