Happy Birthday, Dylan!

Dylan’s birthday party was at Pinstripes in Northbrook. Vanessa and Damien rented out 4 bocce lanes and the kids played and played and ran and played and had so much fun together. The adults sat on the sidelines and enjoyed cocktails while we kept the kids in line. Perfect! Love watching this group grow up together.

Ladies Night Out

 Rita, Christine, Sara, Rachelle, Liz, Vanessa, Kelly, Simonie

It took a couple months to plan, but finally our ladies night was upon us. By some miracle we were all able to go and no one had to cancel last minute! We met up first at The Izakaya at Momotaro. We had a few drinks there before dinner. I loved the space. It did remind me of Japan.

Dinner was at BLVD. I’d been to this gorgeous space before for drinks but never to eat. We had a great night trying many appetizers, entrees, drinks and desserts!

Vanessa + Kelly

Our waiter spun the wheel and Vanessa won a free glass of champagne, which she promptly spilled all over Liz!

10th Annual Cookie Party Recipes

Here are the recipes from the the 10th Annual Cookie Party. See also, recipes from other years:

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1st Place
SNICKERS COOKIES
by Jessica

Jess made this recipe up, using a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base!

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons hot water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup peanuts
  • Caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.

Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

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2nd Place
ALMOND JOY COOKIES
by Stacy

  • 1 14 oz bag sweetened coconut flakes
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ? cup chopped lightly salted almonds (I used Blue Diamond Low Sodium Lightly Salted – light blue bag)
  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (regular or fat-free works)

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine coconut, chocolate chips, almonds, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until combined.

Scoop out dough with a cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheet.
Moisten the tips of your fingers with water and shape into discs. Pat the tops flat.

Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until tips of coconut are just starting to turn golden brown.

Let cool on baking sheet. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Notes
Parchment paper is critical for these cookies to turn out right. Silicone mats, waxed paper, etc. will yield a slightly different result.

Recipe From: Mom on Timeout

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3nd Place
SALTED VANILLA TOFFEE COOKIES
by Vanessa

  • 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar (or dark brown)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • seeds scraped from 1/2 of a vanilla bean*
  • 2 and 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cups Heath English Toffee Bits ‘O Brickle**
  • sea salt, for sprinkling

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the toffee bits, mix on low for about 5-10 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.

Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes– if the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.

Once chilled, the dough might be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls. Scoop and roll balls of dough, about 1 Tablespoon of dough each, into balls. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes (11 minutes for crispier cookies), until slightly golden brown around the edges. My oven has hot spots and yours may too- so be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. The baked cookies will look extremely soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with additional sea salt if desired.

Make ahead tip: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well – up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well – up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.

Recipe Notes:
* For best flavor, don’t leave out the vanilla bean! You can find vanilla beans in the spice aisle and in specialty kitchen stores. They are a little pricey, but a little goes a long way. In a pinch, an extra teaspoon of pure vanilla extract works instead.

** There are actually two kinds of Heath baking bits found in the baking aisle next to the chocolate chips: Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits and Heath Bits ‘O Brickle (without chocolate). For these cookies, I use the kind without chocolate. You can use either, or you can use chopped Heath candy bars or chopped homemade toffee.

Recipe From: Sally’s Baking Addiction

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TWIX COOKIES
by Liz

Shortbread Layer:

  • ? cup Unsalted Butter, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 Eggs (yolks only)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour

Caramel Filling:

  • 14 soft caramel candies (like Kraft Caramels)
  • 3 T. heavy cream

Chocolate Drizzle:

  • 6 ounce milk chocolate chips

To make the shortbread layer: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine ? cup butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour; beat at low speed until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb or end of wooden spoon handle. Bake 7-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.
To make the caramel filling: Melt the caramel and heavy cream in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds until it is fully melted. Using a teaspoon fill each indentation with the caramel.

To make the chocolate drizzle: Melt the chocolate in the microwave stirring 30 seconds at a time until smooth, and scoop into a ziplock bag. Barely snip the corner and drizzle over the cookies.

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BUTTERSCOTCH, CHOCOLATE CHIP + SEA SALT COOKIES
by Rita

  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup semi sweet choc chips

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

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CRANBERRY BLISS BARS
by Kim

BLONDIE LAYER:

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

FROSTING:

  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave; stir in brown sugar. Scrape the butter & sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (the batter will be thick).

Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

TIPS:
If you’d like to add an orange flavor to these bars, add 1 tablespoon grated orange zest to the frosting.

Recipe From: Recipe Girl

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PRETZEL BARK
by Mary

Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil. Spread one layer of pretzels

Heat 1C butter and 1C brown sugar in a medium pan. When it reaches a roiling boil, time it for 3 minutes.

Pour over pretzels and slide into a 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle semisweet choc chips over toffee bark and spread once soft and melted. Leave at room temp or refrigerate til choc sets.

Break into your favorite sized pieces.

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THRE  INGREDIENT GLUTEN-FREE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
by Emily

  • 1egg
  • 1cup peanut butter
  • 1cup sugar

Stir together, roll into Tablespoon size balls, press crosshatch pattern into each ball with fork to slightly flatten, bake at 350 about 15minutes!

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MINI VANILLA DONUTS
by Kelly

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GHIRARDELLI PEPPERMINT BARK COOKIES
by Rachelle

I edited this recipe I’ve made many times by adding the Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark.

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks
  • 1 bag Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark, unwrapped and roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks and 3/4 of the peppermint bark. Refrigerate dough for about 15 minutes.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, Bake 10 minutes, press some peppermint bark onto the tops of the cookies and bake 2 more minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

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SALTED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
by Stephanie

•    8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks; 225g)
•    1 standard ice cube (about 2 tablespoons; 30mL frozen water)
•    10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups; 280g)
•    3/4 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
•    1 teaspoon table salt (4g)
•    5 ounces granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup; 140g)
•    2 large eggs (100g)
•    2 teaspoons (10mL) vanilla extract
•    5 ounces dark brown sugar (about 1/2 tightly packed cup plus 2 tablespoons; 140g)
•    8 ounces (225g) semisweet chocolate chips
•    Coarse salt, for garnish

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, gently swirling pan constantly, until particles begin to turn golden brown and butter smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue swirling the pan until the butter is a rich brown, about 15 seconds longer. Transfer to a medium bowl, whisk in ice cube, transfer to refrigerator, and allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. (Alternatively, whisk over an ice bath to hasten the process.)

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Place granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix with hand mixer on medium-high speed until mixture pale brownish-yellow and falls off the whisk in thick ribbons when lifted, about 5 minutes.

When brown butter mixture has cooled (it should be just starting to turn opaque again and firm around the edges), add brown sugar and cooled brown butter to egg mixture. Mix on medium speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just barely combined, with some dry flour still remaining, about 15 seconds. Add chocolate and mix on low speed or by hand until dough comes together, about 15 seconds longer. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate dough at least overnight and up to 3 days.

When ready to bake, adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 325°F. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or a spoon, place scoops of cookie dough onto a nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet. Each ball should measure approximately 3 tablespoons in volume, and you should be able to fit 6 to 8 balls on each sheet. Tear each ball in half to reveal a rougher surface, then stick them back together with the rough sides facing outward. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown around edges but still soft, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through baking.

Remove baking sheets from oven. While cookies are still hot, sprinkle very lightly with coarse salt and gently press salt down to embed. Let cool for 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat steps 3 through 5 for remaining cookie dough. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container, plastic bag, or cookie jar at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Recipe From: Serious Eats

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FIREBALL FUDGE
by Rachelle

  • 2 – 11 ounce bags Ghirardelli white chocolate baking chips
  • 1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup Fireball Whisky
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Red food coloring

Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Fill a small saucepan 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.

In a large heat-proof bowl, stir together all ingredients (except the food coloring). Place bowl on top of simmering pan of water. Stir frequently until the chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth.

Place 1/4 cup of melted mixture in a small bowl and color with red food coloring. Pour remaining fudge into prepared pan. Drizzle red fudge on top and use a toothpick to create a swirl affect.

Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, remove fudge from pan and peel off parchment paper. Cut fudge into squares or use decorative cookie cutters to create festive shapes. Enjoy!

Recipe From: Country Rebel

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SHORTBREAD CUTOUTS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
by Makai

Makai made his cookies the night before the party.

SHORTBREAD CUTOUTS

  • 2 cups Unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 4 cups Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in flour and salt. Knead the dough briefly until smooth. If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour. (Dough can be refrigerated up to several days; soften slightly before shaping cookies.)

Heat oven to 325. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.

Pat half of the dough out on lightly floured surface to ½-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until light brown on edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

From: Holiday Cookies: Prize-Winning Family Recipes from the Chicago Tribune

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
    pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons milk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In your stand mixer, place cream cheese and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

Slowly add in powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. I like using just a pinch of salt to cut the sweetness of the sugar! You may need to stop and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Now add in the milk and vanilla and mix until combined.

Frost and enjoy! Let the frosting completely harden before storing these at room temperature in an airtight container.

From: Show Me the Yummy

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RUMCHATA COOKIE BARS
by Sara

  • 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
  • 2/3 cup RumChata™ liqueur plus 1/4 cup, divided
  • 1 egg
  • Nonstick baking spray
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F. Coat inside of a 9×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together sugar cookie mix, 2/3 cup RumChata™ and egg.

Spread evenly in bottom of pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Cut into 1×3-inch pieces.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together powdered sugar, butter and 1/4 cup RumChata™ until light and fluffy.

Transfer to an icing bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe buttercream on top of cooled bars.

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

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PEPPERMINT MOCHA COOKIES
by Kristin

  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (53g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder or 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (180g) mini or regular size semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3 large candy canes, crushed

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Switch to high speed and beat in the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I always chill mine overnight.

Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes– if the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
Scoop and roll balls of dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each, into balls and place on the baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes. My oven has hot spots and yours may too- so be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. The baked cookies will look extremely soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Melt the chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or (carefully!) use the microwave. For the microwave, place the white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Dip each completely cooled cookie halfway into the white chocolate and place onto a parchment or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the chocolate. Repeat with the rest of the cooled cookies. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator to help the chocolate set. Once set, enjoy!

Recipe From: Sally’s Baking Addiction

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CHRISTMAS WREATHS
by Rory and Johnny

Rory and Johnny making Christmas Wreaths the night before the party!

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 30 large marshmallows
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons green food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups cornflakes cereal
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon red hot candies

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows, and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the food coloring, vanilla, and cornflakes.

Quickly drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto waxed paper, and form into a wreath shape with lightly greased fingers. Immediately decorate with red hot candies. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing from waxed paper, and storing in an airtight container.

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PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE KISS
by Simonie

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CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
by Ashley

Ashley sent me a photo of her family’s recipe card. I love old recipes!

  • 1 stick oleo
  • 3/4 box of conf sugar (1 box = 16 oz)
  • 12 oz crunchie peanut butter
  • 3 cups Rice Krispie (plain)
  • 1 large Hershey bar
  • 6 oz. chocolate chip morsels
  • 1/3 stick parafin wax (don’t add as much)

Mix oleo and sugar. Add peanut butter and mix well. Fold in Rice Krispies. Roll into balls.

Melt large size Hershey bar and 6 oz chocolate chip morsels and 1/3 stick of parafin wax.

Dip ball into chocolate mixture. Put on wax paper and let cool. (Do not refrigerate.)

Recipe Notes

  • Oleo is margarine (Fleischman or Imperial brands work best, LandoLakes is also good)
  • One recipe makes about 90 balls

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HOMEMADE CARAMELS
by Sara

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups light corn syrup
  • 14 oz evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Line a 9×13” pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. (If you don’t have parchment paper you can generously butter the pan.) Either size pan will work–9×13” will yield thicker caramels.
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. (crack stage, 250 degrees)

Gradually add the evaporated milk, taking about 12-15 minutes while stirring constantly. You want to make sure the mixture maintains a constant boil, otherwise your caramels can curdle.
Stir the mixture constantly, scraping the sides occasionally until it reaches a firm ball stage (about 238-240 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Once you reach 238-240 degrees F / or the firm ball stage, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Pour caramels into a buttered pan. Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easy to cut and wrap).

The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they’re set, but they should be soft at room temperature. Cut caramel into small pieces and, if desired, wrap like a tootsie roll in wax paper.

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FUDGE WITH NUTS
by Caroline

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JINGLE JUICE
by Rachelle

  • 4 c. Cran-Apple Juice
  • 2 bottles red moscato
  • 1 bottle prosecco
  • 1/2 c. vodka
  • 2 c. frozen cranberries
  • 1/3 c. mint leaves
  • 1/2 c. sugar, for rimming glasses
  • 2 limes, sliced into rounds

Using a wedge of lime, wet the rim of your glasses. Dip in sugar until coated.
Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl, stir together and serve.

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BACON-WRAPPED DATES
by Jess

  • 35 to 40 pitted dates
  • 70 to 80 salted roasted almonds
  • 2 pounds thin bacon, cut in half

Special equipment: 35 to 40 toothpicks

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Stuff each date with 1 to 2 almonds. Wrap each date with half a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Bake, turning the dates halfway through so the bacon is evenly cooked, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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MEXICAN LAYER DIP
by Sara

Layer in baking dish:

  • Refried beans
  • Brick of cream cheese + sour cream (or Greek yogurt) + taco seasoning mixed together
  • Shredded cheddar cheese

Top with:

  • Diced tomatoes
  • Green onions
  • Small can sliced black olives

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TORTILLA ROLLUPS
by Rachelle

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  • 2 packages (8 Oz. Size) Cream Cheese, Softened
  • 1 package (1 Oz. Size) Dry Ranch Dressing Mix
  • 5 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas
  • 1 jar Roasted Red Peppers, Diced Finely
  • Diced Ham
  • 5 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, 1/2 to 3/4 of the packet of ranch dressing mix (add the rest to taste), and black pepper with a wooden spoon until totally combined. Divide equally among the tortillas and spread into a single layer all over the surface of each tortilla.

Sprinkle on the red and green bell pepper, as well as the green onion. Roll them up nice and tight, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Before serving, slice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices and serve on a platter.

Options: Add shaved turkey, prosciutto, ham, or any meat.

Add fresh herbs if you have them.

Recipe adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

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VEGGIES WITH DILL DIP
by Rachelle

1 c mayonnaise
1 c sour cream
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp grated onion
1 Tbsp dried dill weed
2 tsp bon appetit seasoning

In a medium bowl mix all together, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

From: Memory (with the aide of recipes from Yummily and All Recipes)

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HOT APPLE CIDER
by Rachelle

1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. whole allspice
2-3 cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes. Drink.

Helpful hints: Put spices in a tea ball so that they don’t have to be strained out. Captain Morgan is fabulous to add to the cider. Also can be put into a crockpot and kept on low all day (after simmering). This will fill the house with a great spicy aroma.

Recipe From: Julene / Chicagoist

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Christine also brought these Korean buns from Joong Boo market, which are always welcome in our house!

10th Annual Cookie Party

Caroline, Jess, Emily, Sara, Kelly, Christine

Last weekend, I hosted my annual cookie party. This was actually the 11th year of the party, but I didn’t have it in 2013, the year Makai was born. I’m going to note here for myself that maybe 11 am on Saturday is not good for people, since I hurried to get everything ready and no one came until past 11:30 or so!

Makai made the Nice List

On Friday I took a vacation day from work. This was good for two reasons: 1. Thursday night was our holiday party and I was out late. 2. I could spend the day baking, cooking and getting everything ready.

Me and Mom

The weather was better this year and my my mom was able to attend again. Last year was the only year she missed and it was because of the weather. My dad went to the taqueria, read the paper and ate lunch there, walked around the neighborhood and the 606 during the party. He’s practically a Logan Square local.

Sara, Christine, Kelly, Liz

Jess, Sara, Emily, Stacey, Kristin, Caroline

 Johnny, Rory, Makai

It was fun to have cookie party veterans as well as a couple new faces at the party. And for kids, we had Makai, Johnny, Rory and Eddie, who mostly played downstairs.

Rory, Makai

Makai tried almost all of the cookies, though. He was a brutal critic. If he didn’t like it he would take one bite and then march over to the trash can and throw it away! Rory asked me about 5 times if I tried his wreath cookies! He was so proud of them. They’re a classic and they were great. At the end he voted for his own cookie, of course!

Jingle Juice

In addition to the sweets, I made some festive (roasted RED pepper, GREEN onion, and ham) tortilla rollups, dill dip with vegetables, hot apple cider, and a new punch called Jingle Juice! In addition, a few people brought appetizers in lieu of cookies. Jess brought bacon-wrapped dates and Sara brought some festive taco dip. Christine, who had been travelling this week for work, went by Joong Boo and got some Korean buns. It was great to have a lot of savories to counterbalance all the sweets!

Hopewell Brewing Beer

Thanks to everyone who brought little gifts and treats and drinks. Ashley brought this beer from Hopewell, a new neighborhood brewery, and I’m excited to try it.

These were all the tasty treats we sampled:

  1. Mini Vanilla Donuts – Kelly
  2. Fudge with nuts – Caroline
  3. Peppermint Mocha Cookies – Kristin
  4. Pretzel Bark – Mary
  5. Wreath Cookies – Rory and Johnny
  6. Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss – Simonie
  7. Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies – Rachelle
  8. Snickers Cookies – Jessica
  9. Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls – Ashley
  10. Rumchata Bars – Sara
  11. Fireball Fudge – Rachelle
  12. Almond Joy Cookies – Stacey
  13. Shortbread Cutouts with Cream Cheese Icing – Makai
  14. Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies – Stephanie
  15. Twix Cookies – Liz
  16. Caramels – Sara
  17. Salted Vanilla Toffee Cookies – Vanessa
  18. Cranberry Bliss – Kim
  19. Butterscotch Chocolate Chip + Sea Salt Cookies – Rita
  20. 3 Ingredient Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies – Emily

Mom and Jess

Like previous years, we did a quick vote to see which was the most favorite cookie of the day. The results?

  • 3rd Place: Vanessa’s Salted Vanilla Toffee Cookies Can’t go wrong with toffee!
  • 2nd Place: Stacey’s Almond Joy Cookies Great combination of chocolate, coconut and nuts!
  • 1st Place: Jessica’s Snickers Cookies Each individual ingredient of Snickers – Peanuts, caramel and chocolate – assembled into a cookie.

Jess has been coming to the cookie party annually since she was 3-4 years old. She’s a good student! This year she was voted best cookie for a recipe she improvised and made up, then baked herself! And she dethroned Kristin, who won top awards the past two years in a row. Jess won Sally’s Cookie Addiction and a holiday spatula.

Jess will be on the Hall of Fame next year!

I’m declaring the party a success again this year! I’ll post the recipes for the cookies soon!

Mike and Jill’s Wedding

The weekend after we got back from Arizona, my parents came down to visit and babysit Makai so we could go to Mike and Jill’s wedding. My dad took this photo of us as we were leaving.

Before the wedding ceremony we all met up at JP Burke’s. Dallas did not want his photo taken. Can you tell?

The wedding was a Catholic ceremony at St. Alphonsus Church. I couldn’t believe the architecture. The church was mind blowing. And the ceremony was only a half hour long! I was expecting at least an hour.

The wedding reception was held at Zia’s Lago Vista. When we walked in we were greeted by a bagpipe player.

I tried on Christine’s lipstick in the bathroom (Stila all day – Fierce).

 At dinner some of us we jammed in the corner because of a seating mix up. Whatever. We still had fun!

After dinner it was dancing, dancing, and more dancing! Fun wedding!

Swimming at Ridgemoor

The weather looked terrible up to the second we arrived and then it actually started raining. We were debating leaving, but I’m so glad we didn’t. Things cleared up and the kids had a great time swimming all day. I think Makai came out only to eat lunch and an ice cream cone.