Christmas Cookies

This past weekend Michael and I worked

together to make Christmas cookies. 

Since our nest is empty,

we made our favorite holiday treats. 

We make a great team. 

Below are the links for the for all the recipes.

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Pecan Tarts

Spritz

Pecan Balls

Pretzel Turtles

Snickerdoodle

Peanut Blossoms

All of these cookies will be served at our family "Cookie Day".  Each year we get together to play games and enjoy  appetizers and cookies. 

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

Tonight I tried a new recipe.  I took it from one of my Taste Of Home cookbooks.  I did cut the spices in half because I wasn't sure how spicey it would have been.  It was just right for us.  This one made the cut for the menu board!  Click on the link below to see the recipe.

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

New Recipe Week

Lately I have been trying new recipes. I have a large collection of recipes that I have never tried. Now that the nest is empty it is time try some of them out, RIGHT?

So this week I will share a new recipe each day.

Today it is quick snack called Cinnamon Crisps.

Ingredients:

6 Flour tortillas, 1 TBS Water, 1 tsp Vanilla, Cooking spray, Sugar and Cinnamon

Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and cut them in 8 pieces each.  Mix the water and vanilla. Brush each piece with water mixture.
Sprinkle both sides with sugar mixture.

 

Put them on a cooling rack and then put that on top of a cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 9 minutes.

Keep an eye on them, they crisp up quickly.

I was able to fit three cut tortillas on the sheet.

Take them off the grate and let them cool.

Enjoy them as is or add them

to a bowl of ice cream and fresh fruit! So Yummy.

 



Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I made us some yummy Oatmeal Raisin cookies last night.  The recipe is inside the Quaker Oats containers.  Since it is just the two of us, I froze half of them.  That way we can enjoy them again in few weeks.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked

1 cup raisins

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.


Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.


Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time Time: 08 - 10 min


Variations

Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. 24 BARS. VARIATIONS: Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts. Substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate pieces for raisins; omit cinnamon. Substitute 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit. HIGH ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Increase flour to 1-3/4 cups and bake as directed.

Christmas Cookies in August

When I asked my son what treat he would like me to bake him he responded, "Those powdery balls we have at Christmas."  I usually don't make Christmas cookies during the year. That way they seem more special when I bake them in December.  But I decided to grant the wish of my son. 
So here is the recipe for 
Butter Pecan Sandies:
1 Cup Butter softened
1 Tbs. Water
5 Tbs. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
Powdered Sugar


Cream butter and sugar. Mix in water and vanilla.  SLOWLY beat in flour and salt.  Add chopped pecans and chill for one hour.  Shape into balls or cresent shapes.  Bake for 12-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Cool on wire rack and cover in powdered sugar.

Snickerdoodles

I have been on cookie spree lately.  This week I made Snickerdoodles.

YUMMY!

You can find the recipe HERE

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a blessed day.

Christmas Review

Christmas at the Annanie house was a quiet one.

The boys came to Christmas Eve service with us.

After church we gathered at home and did our tradition of scripture readings.

We each choose and read a

 Bible verse that has been meaningful to

us personally throughout the past year.

Matthew chose:

Matthew 6 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Christopher talked about being kinder to people and showing Christ’s love through our actions.

Michael’s verse: 1 John 5 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

I chose 1 Peter 4:9-11 says "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

I received a bread maker for Christmas. 

I have made a loaf of really wheaty bread,

yummy dinner rolls and some delicious pizza dough.