TLC In The Kitchen

Christmas Holiday Traditions

We have many Christmas holiday traditions in our family. There is the Christmas cookie tradition, the Christmas tree traditions, and naturally the Christmas Eve traditions. Of course, my favorite tradition is the Christmas cookie tradition. Every year we make dozens and dozens of different cookies to share with our family and friends. It is really a lot of fun and many of our friends do the same thing. So, each year I look forward to Janet’s Pistachio Thumb-Print Cookies and she waits expectantly for my Italian pepper cookies. I spend the last few days before Christmas in the kitchen with my children (so all the cookies are as fresh as possible) and we roll, cut, form, bake and decorate together while singing Christmas carols, telling stories and laughing. Lots and lots of laughing. We have one special day dedicated to decorating the World’s Best Sugar Cookies. The kids and grandkids come over, along with invited guests and we “paint” our cookies adding lots of sprinkles and candies. I hope you try at least one of my special Christmas cookie recipes! Peace, love and joy to you and your family!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

3 teaspoons vanilla (clear Mexican vanilla if available)

Mix butter, egg, sugar and vanilla together thoroughly. Add dry ingredients slowly. Mix completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough for one hour. Roll out on floured board. Cut with cookie cutters of choice. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for about 8 minutes. If desired decorate with colored icing paints and candies.

ICING PAINT FOR SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

milk

food coloring

To make icing paint mix the powdered sugar with enough milk to make the sugar the consistency of thick pancake batter. The amount of milk will vary with the humidity in the air. Separate the paint into smaller containers and add food coloring to created desired colors. The gel colors make it much easier to get deeper colors. Use new paint brushes (synthetic, wash before using) from the craft store to paint the cookies. Add candies and sprinkles if you wish. The icing paint will set up in about 30 minutes.

JANET’S PISTACHIO THUMB-PRINT COOKIES yield 3 to 4 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

3-1/2 oz. package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/2 cup miniature or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 to 1-1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios

Filling Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 to 3 tablespoons milk

Glaze Ingredients:

1/2 cup miniature or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons shortening

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, pudding mix and egg until well blended. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Mix well. If necessary, refrigerate dough 30 to 45 minutes for easier handling.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in nuts. Place on prepared cookie sheets. With thumb, make imprint in the center of each cookie. Bake at 350°F for 10-14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients until smooth. Spoon about a teaspoonful of filling into the center of each cookie. In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with shortening, stirring constantly. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon glaze over each filled cookie. Allow filling and glaze to set up before storing cookies.