Christmas Baking

This year I did a fair bit baking and am now just posting the results.

I made some old favourites but then also made some new things I discovered in my travels through blogland.


Old favourites included Party Shortbread, my sister's mother-in-law's recipe (recipe below and pictured at front of plate beside peaks), Coconut Peaks ,
Chow Mein Clusters(recipe below and beside Fudge Puddles) and Puppy Chow (not pictured).



New recipes(and now favourites) included Cupcake Bites(centre of plate),
Fudge Puddles(across from peaks),



Cinnamon Roll cookies(beside clusters at back of plate),
Peanut Butter Candy Bar Squares (at back of plate)
and mint candies(pictured below).



Recipes:

Party Shortbread

½ lb. butter
½ cup sifted icing sugar
2 cups sifted flour – less 2 TBS
2 TBS cornstarch
Replace 2 TBS flour with 2 TBS cornstarch. Cream butter, add sugar gradually and blend in flour with hands. Roll into cylinders and put in fridge until firm. Then cut about 1/3 of inch thick, place on buttered cookie sheets. Preheat to 300, watch closely, bake 15-20 minutes, do not brown. Cool and ice with almond icing.
Almond Icing
4 TBS soft b utter
1 ½ cup icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 to 2 TBS milk, cream, water or coffee
1 tsp almond extract
Combine all ingredients until smooth. Can add food colouring if desired.

Chocolate Chow Mein Clusters

1 ½ cups chocolate chips
1 cup buttersctoch chips
½ cup butter
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups dry chow mein noodles
1 cup salted peanuts
Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips, butter and peanut butter, stirring often. In bowl combine noodles with peanuts, pour in chocolate mixture and stir well to coat.
Spoon into 1 inch mounds on waxed lined cookie sheets, refridgerate until firm.

Of course, we still have lots left and I will be taking those into work this week!

I'd love to hear if you try out any of these recipes! They would be good at any time of year!