As you probably already know, I love to bake! Pictured about is one of my almost-award winning pies, I entered it in the National Pie Baking Championship... it scored really well, but not well enough to win.

I hear all sorts of baking blunders this time of year, and I wanted you to have help if you kneaded it!

As home cooks begin pre-heating their ovens and preparing for the busy holiday baking season, some may find themselves in a sticky situation. For the third year, the Crisco® Pie Hotline – 1-877-FOR PIE TIPS (toll free) is available to offer expert advice for pie bakers who are in knead of a little help.

Last year, the Crisco Pie Hotline received thousands of calls from consumers around the country. Available 24-hours a day, the hotline offers baking tips, new time-saving hints and the opportunity to talk to a live Crisco Pie Pro.



Novice bakers as well as the most seasoned pie makers can find just what they need to help prepare this traditional holiday dessert.

I recently had these at a party and I just couldn't stop... I mean literally, I think I ate like 20 cookies! They are amazingly moist, and delicious! Try them for your next cookie swap, they make a gazillion cookies!



Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies





INGREDIENTS:



1 cup shortening

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)



DIRECTIONS:



1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.



2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Stir in the walnuts if desired. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.



3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

The holidays are right around the corner!! Here's my favorite sugar cookie recipe, decorate them as you wish, this year I decided to get fancy - check out the cookies I made last weekend.

You can use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, as long as it is a sturdy cut out style cookie, or use the recipe that follows:



INGREDIENTS





1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt



DIRECTIONS



In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).



Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.



Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

 

To Decorate (as pictured above):

 

Royal Icing: (make 2 batches - color one red with lots of red food coloring, but add extra Confectioner's Sugar to make sure it's thick)

 

INGREDIENTS





3 tablespoons meringue powder

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons water



DIRECTIONS



Beat all ingredients at low speed for 7 to 10 minutes, or until icing forms peaks.



Tip: Keep icing covered with a wet kitchen towel at all times. Icing can dry out quickly.



First with a thin pointed pastry bag tip (or a very small hole cut in a ziploc bag) circle the whole outside of the cookie with a thick icing, either red or white. Let set and dry.



Thin out icing enough to spread.



With thin pointed tip or the whole in the bag pool the icing onto the cookie - then take the other color and create circles or stripes, then take a tooth pick and run through the design.



Have fun with it! They are yum!!

Aren't you loving these cookie recipes! They are certainly helping to get me in the mood for the Holidays!!!



Next up one of my favorites! And it's super easy, and so pretty!! It's a sure fire winner everytime! So creamy and yummy!!! Your guests or hostess will think you slaved for hours and hours... I promise I won't tell you didn't!

Pignoli Cookies (AKA Pine Nut Cookies)



Ingredients:

12 ounces almond paste



1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup confectioners' sugar

4 egg whites

1 1/2 cups pine nuts



Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil; lightly grease foil.





Mix almond paste and granulated sugar in food processor until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and 2 egg whites; process until smooth.



Whisk remaining 2 egg whites in small bowl. Place pine nuts on shallow plate. With lightly floured hands roll dough into 1 inch balls. Coat balls in egg whites, shaking off excess, then roll in pine nuts, pressing lightly to stick. Arrange balls on cookie sheets, and flatten slightly to form a 1 1/2 inch round.



Bake 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

 

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This is one of my husband's favorites, but let's face it, who doesn't love Brittle! All kinds, Peanut, Almond, Macadamia Nut... and this recipe is so versitle that you can make any of those variations, in 10 minutes and in your Microwave!!!

Yes, in 10 minutes and in your microwave!!! No candy thermometer, and everyone loves it!!! No one believes me when I say it only takes 10 minutes!

{I make like 12 batches a year and give it all my neighbors!}

10-Minute Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Light corn syrup

1/8 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cups Peanuts (or Almonds, or whatever nut you choose)

1 TBS Butter

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Baking Soda

Directions:

Combine sugar, syrup, and salt in a 2 quart casserole dish (ceramic, like Pyrex)

Microwave on high for 5 minutes

Stir in nuts very quickly

Microwave 2 to 5 mnutes, stirring after 2 and 4 minutes until syrup and peanuts are lightly browned.

Stir in butter, vanilla, and baking soda until light and foamy.

Spread to 1/4" thickness on a well buttered or Pam'ed cookie sheet

Once cool, break into pieces and store in tin.

For a super special touch, once cool dip one end of the brittle into Chocolate and let cool again!

Enjoy!!!

Image Source

Every Friday through the end of the year I am going to post a cookie recipe that I bake every Christmas for you to enjoy! You already know my passion for baking, but I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite recipes with you, and you can share them with your friends and families!



There is always alot of cookie sharing parties this time of year, along with hosting open houses, and family dinners. These recipes are sure to impress, and are pretty simple to make!



First, I have to start with a story. My husband's Grandmother {Mom-mom} always made these Italian Christmas Cookies called Dadals, and when she passed I was the only one with the recipe - she sent it to us while we were in college with a $20 bill. It was her way of helping us. I have held on to this recipe with my life! And every Christmas I am in charge of making these cookies.

INGREDIENTS





1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder



Glaze:



2 cups powered sugar

1tsp Anise or Almond extract

1TBS Milk



DIRECTIONS



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Or use Parchment Paper



2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until blended. Divide dough into walnut sized portions. Roll each piece into a rope and then shape into a loop, or pretzel shape. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.



3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm and golden at the edges



4. Allow cookies to cool on rack



5. Once cook dip tops of cookies into glaze and let dry



{You can scoop the cookies onto the Parchment with a very small cookie scoop or shape them as explained}