Orange Chocolate Pecan Biscotti

Orange Chocolate Pecan Biscotti
Holiday Gift from the Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 c sugar
• ¼ c orange liqueur or 3 T orange extract
• 1 stick butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 2 ½ c flour
• 1 c chopped pecans
• ½ t salt
• ½ c semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and blend well. Add orange liqueur and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Combine butter and flour mixes together. Add nuts and chips – may be a little dry.

Form 2x13 log on cookie sheet – will be between ¼ and ½ inch thick. Bake 30-35 minutes or until lightly brown. Place cookie sheet on cooling rack and cool completely. Cut cooled logs diagonally into ¾ in slices with a serrated knife. Place slices back on the cookie sheet cut side down. Bake 20 minutes turning after 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Garnish: Drizzle with or dip in melted chocolate.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Sweet Dish with only 5 Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 20 can pineapple slices – reserve juice
• 1 c brown sugar
• 10 maraschino cherries
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 stick butter

Place 1 layer of pineapple rings on the bottom of an 8x10 baking dish. Place 1 cherry inside each ring. Reserve the pineapple juice.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 stick of butter. Stir in brown sugar. Mix well and pour over pineapples.

Prepare cake according to directions, except substitute juice for the water in the directions.
Bake according to directions on cake box. After baking and cooling, flip cake out onto a foil board.

Fruit Cobbler

Fruit Cobbler
A Beautiful Mess

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold, hard butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 cups fruit

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add butter and cut into small pieces.  I recommend a pastry cutter or food processor if possible.  Otherwise, use 2 butter knives to cut the butter. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until dough comes together. Whisk together cinnamon, sugar and cornstarch.  Add fruit; gently tossing.  Transfer fruit to an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.  Top with large spoonfuls on dough.  Sprinkle lightly with more sugar.

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes until fruit is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Add some vanilla ice cream and your cobbler is a la mode. :)

Wookiee Cookies

Wookiee Cookies

Hairy Sweet Treats

Ingredients

•   1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
•    1/3 cup sugar
•    2 T all purpose flour
•    1/8 t salt
•    2 egg whites
•    1/2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and vanilla: mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto greased baking cookie sheets.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

Pot of S'mores

Pot of S'mores
Sweet Grillin' Treat

Ingredients

• 1 package (14-1/2 ounces) whole graham crackers, crushed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Prepare grill or campfire for low heat, using 16-18 charcoal briquettes or large wood chips. Line a Dutch oven with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Combine cracker crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of the pan. Pour milk over crust and sprinkle with chocolate and butterscotch chips. Top with marshmallows.

Cover Dutch oven. When briquettes or wood chips are covered with white ash, place Dutch oven directly on top of six of them. Using long-handled tongs, place remaining briquettes on pan cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until chips are melted. To check for doneness, use the tongs to carefully lift the cover.

Reindeer Cookies

Reindeer Cookies
Christmas Sweet Treat

Ingredients

• 1 (16.5-oz.) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 36 pretzel twists
• 36 semisweet chocolate mini morsels
• 18 red cinnamon candies or red M&Ms

Freeze dough 15 minutes. Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut dough with a 3-inch round cutter, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using thumb and forefinger, pinch opposite sides of each slice about two-thirds of the way down to shape face.

Break curved sides away from center of each pretzel twist to form antlers. Press bottom of 1 set of antlers on each side at top of each reindeer face.

Bake at 350° according to package directions or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; press in 2 chocolate mini morsels for eyes and 1 red cinnamon candy for nose. Let cool 1 minute on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool 20 minutes or until completely cool.

Strawberry Shortcake Sliders

There is just no other way to describe California strawberries…well, basides the fact that they’re deliciously juicy, bursting with flavor, perfectly ripe and ready to enjoy as soon as you see them.

Did you know that 1 cup of strawberries has 160% Vitamin C, which is higher than oranges?! Another added benefit is that strawberries are also low in calories – just 50 per eight-strawberry serving.

During the summer time, there’s nothing more refreshing than strawberries in your drink, salad, parfait, salsa, etc. Here is one of the quick and easy recipes to get the most out of your California strawberries:

Strawberry Shortcake Sliders

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in pieces
2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
6 cups California strawberries, stemmed and divided
1 cup simple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar

Sift flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. With a fork, cut in butter to fine particles. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups cream. On a floured surface, knead dough lightly to form a ball. Pat into a 1/2-inch-thick circle. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 15 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. With 2-inch cutter, cut dough into 12 circles. Place on baking sheet; bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

In a saucepan, simmer 4 cups strawberries with simple syrup until jam-like consistency; cool. Slice remaining strawberries. Whip 3/4 cup cream with vanilla and 1 Tbsp sugar until soft peak form.

To serve, cut shortcakes in half. Place bottom on plate and top with cooked strawberries, whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Place top on shortcake; dust with confectioner’s sugar.