Holiday Cookie Inspo

My life right now:

• A blazing fire and a sort-of-sometimes-but-not-really cuddly cat
• Three sets of mis-matched battery operated tree lights (including one that only blinks and won�t stay solid) bc my first Christmas with said cat, 10 years ago, she bit into the lights and electrocuted herself and I�ve used battery operated ones ever since. 
• Mariah Carey Christmas tunes 
• Teavana white chocolate peppermint tea 
• A (3rd) rewatch of How I Met Your Mother
• Trying to ignore political news because: anxiety
• Regretting every single time I go on Facebook because: political news/ anxiety, but doing it anyway
• A pot of chili (usually with turkey, black beans, and pinto or white beans� never kidney beans bc Evan hates them, and only squash additions when he�s not looking) bc it�s all I want to make this chilly-chili weather season
• My Favorite Murder podcast, all day everyday

It�s sounds like I�ve been really hunkering down, but I feel like I�ve barely been home lately, and I�m really craving some cozy couch time with a side of hot cocoa (wherein no one talks to me for a good 24 hours bc the introvert in me is maxed the F out and needs some quiet alone time to recharge). Three weekends ago was turkey day, two weekends ago we were down in my hometown visiting my ma and eating the most giant ribeyes ever at a neighboring town�s diviest ever dive-bar that serves huge amazing steaks + baked potatoes, and last weekend Evan and I were in SF meeting our squishy, precious, amazingly sweet, absolute doll of a new baby niece, Sydney Rose (we were also eating all the things, as one does in SF). Between those trips plus holiday parties plus work plus life plus fitness (just kidding, I haven�t worked out in like, 2 months� just adding that one in there, in the hopes it motivates me), I haven�t made one batch of holiday treats (actually, considering I haven�t worked out in 2 months, maybe the lack of Christmas cookies in my life is a good thing).

BUT! In all disregard for my hips and waistline and also a pic I just saw of myself right before my wedding/ right after my dad passed away when I was a good 20 lbs less than I am now, sigh/ugh... I do hope to get some cookie baking in this weekend. So, without further ado, here�s some holiday baking inspo:

From the Loves Food, Loves to Eat archives:

SLICE AND BAKE CHOCOLATE DIPPED ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD COOKIES: I posted these ON THIS DAY last year, and they were so buttery, herbaceous, and chocolatey. Not too sweet, great addition to a cookie exchange or tin of mixed treats!

SLICE AND BAKE SPICE COOKIES WITH CITRUS GLAZE AND SEA SALT: Slice and bake for life because I�m so lazy and it�s just too easy. I even slice and bake my chocolate chip cookies now� but anyway, these little pretties are spicy and chewy and citrusy and make them.

PEPPERMINT MOCHA ICEBOX COOKIES: OMG you guys� I didn�t even mean to do this as I was pulling together this list, but here�s another slice and bake.

From around the interwebz:

CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM VIA DESSERT FOR TWO: Christina says these drop cookie sandwiches are super easy.. they�re not slice n bake, but I�ll take it. They seriously look so good� but also what about a tahini buttercream filling!?

GINGERBREAD THUMBPRINTS VIA LOVE AND OLIVE OIL: My mom made peanut butter blossoms every Christmas when I was growing up (ie: PB thumbprint cookies with a Hershey�s Kiss)� but it turns out, my sister doesn�t like the PB + chocolate combo (which kills me), so these might be a perfect replacement!

HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH TOASTED MARSHMALLOWS VIA THE CANDID APPETITE: cozy, cozy, cozy. These just make me wish it would snow already, and make me wish I liked winter sports. 

VANILICE VIA LITTLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE: For starters, these little sandwich cookies are the cutest. And also, she keeps vanilla beans in her powdered sugar� genius. 

Unrelated... remember when I did this Home Alone Dinner + Movie post? lololuuulll. On my movie-watching to do list between now and Dec. 25: Home Alone and, because it's been awhile, Home Alone 2, Lost in NY, a full Wes Anderson marathon, and of course, Krampus, the Evil Christmas Elf. Happy wintertime holiday fun, friends! 

Burnaby Food First wishes you a merry Christmas

We wish all our readers a very happy and healthy Christmas. Here's wishing everyone also a lovely festival season and wonderful times with family and friends.

The festivities are all around us this month and foodies are probably already beginning to plan their Christmas dinner menus. So in this post we will try and visit some of the diverse food traditions celebrated in Canada during Christmas time brought over by the potpourri of immigrant cultures taking root here over the centuries. 

The main dish of the holiday dinner is usually roast turkey with stuffed dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy and this is part of the European traditions that early settlers have adapted and followed here for generations. Some families with ties to our neighbours south of the border may choose roast beef or ham or other poultry instead of turkey. More recent immigrants introduced the use of Asian recipes to cook the winter vegetables instead of the usual mashed potatoes, boiled carrots, green beans, squash or turnips for the sides. Also the protein could include a vegetarian option such as tofu or salmon for a lighter Christmas meal. Some families with middle eastern roots end up cooking a peasant meal or a lamb stew. 

Customary desserts include rich, heavy puddings filled with dried fruits or plums or carrot puddings or a sherry trifle. There are sometimes replaced here by fruity or creamy treats at the end of a hearty wintry meal. Perhaps you have had a chance to attend Burnaby Food First's free workshop earlier this month and plan a 'homemade apple dessert' this year for a change!

Source: CBC

In parts like Quebec there is also a tradition to celebrate 'r�veillon' on Christmas Eve with a sumptuous dinner consisting of lobster, oysters or foie gras and a meat pie called 'toutierre'. Dessert is 'Buche de Noel', a special thinly rolled sponge cake baked and designed to resemble the traditional 'Yule log' burned as part of a historic bonfire ritual. These are influences of historic French/European celebrations. In some parts of Nova Scotia, lobster is cooked on Christmas Eve. 

Other Christmas traditions here include cookie baking parties. Flavours from all over have made their way into the typical Canadian palette be it spice ginger cookies like the German 'lebkuchen' or Scottish shortbreads or Italian florentines or French meringues. BC's very own 'Nanaimo bars' are also a favourite for many. Mince pies are little pies filled with dried fruit mince and covered with a crumbly pastry. These are a must have for Christmas. Butter tarts topped with raisins, walnuts or pecans are popular in Eastern Canada. Children love the candy canes in red and white. 

Has reading about all this delicious mouth watering food inspired you to also cook something special or treat yourself to a special drink? Why not try your hand at baking some mince pies or pumpkin pies accompanied maybe with some fresh apple cider or eggnog? Here's wishing you once again a delicious and healthy Christmas!

Some links for further reading:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/is-turkey-still-king-how-canadian-holiday-food-traditions-are-changing-1.2466006

http://www.foodtimeline.org/christmasfood.html

http://cnmag.ca/food/1503-christmas-foods-a-canadian-tradition

http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/canada.shtml

Slice and Bake Chocolate Dipped Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

It�s cookie swap time!! Once again, I participated in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, an event hosted by the lovely gals of Love & Olive Oil and Little Kitchen, wherein food bloggers make cookies, send each other cookies, blog about the cookies, eat the cookies, and support Cookies for Kids Cancer, a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, and did I say eat cookies?

I�m gonna keep this short and sweet, because you�re going to have A LOT of cookie recipes to check out today. Here�s what we�re doing: buttery, herbaceous shortbread cookies, dipped in dark chocolate, with a little pinch of flakey sea salt. YES. The perfect counter-point to all the super sweet treats you�re shoving in your face right now. Around Thanksgiving, I sent these little beauties to 3 lucky ladies, and I received some fun treats in return... so basically I've been living off of cookies since Thanksgiving. Maybe we need to start a food blogger taco swap or something... OR! Food blogger cocktail swap!? Logistics might be a challenge... 
Sidenote: How rad is that custom made Washington cutting board from the amazing company AHeirloom!? We got it as a wedding gift from my friend Kristy! 


Slice and Bake Chocolate Dipped Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Slightly adapted from this recipe
Makes approximately 24 cookies

1.5 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1.5 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 cup good quality dark chocolate chips
Flaked sea salt
Optional: milk chocolate chips, sprinkles

In bowl of stand mixer, cream together butter, honey, and powdered sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and rosemary. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. It will should be course pea-sized clumps. Bring dough together with your hands, forming a ball (the softer your butter was, the easier the ball will come together).

On a sheet of parchment paper, roll the ball into an even-shaped log, about 14 inches long. Wrap in parchment and or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until firm (or freeze for about 40 minutes).

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Slice log into disks approx. 1/2 inch thick, and place on parchment paper, with about an inch between each cookie. Sprinkle a hearty pinch of granulated sugar on top of each cookie.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until cookies look just golden around the bottom edge. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Melt dark chocolate: use a double boiler, or microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring between each round. Once totally melted and smooth, dip one end of cooled cookies in chocolate, and place on a parchment or wax paper to cool. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and sprinkles. 

To do milk chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate, and drizzle on cookies. To do geometric dip, let dark chocolate cool completely (freezing for 10 minutes helps) before dipping in milk chocolate. 

Spiced Apple Bourbon Sparklers

What are your favorite holiday cocktails? I love warm mulled wine and bourbon drinks. And I�m a big fan of champagne or sparkling wine during the holidays slash all year long. This year I whipped up a double batch of this eggnog, at my coworker�s insistence. It�s been aging for a few weeks, so we won�t know the outcome until we crack it open the week of Christmas. I�m pretty excited for it though! 

I�ve been mixing up these sparkling bourbon cocktails since Thanksgiving. Get started infusing your bourbon now�you�ll want it to soak up the flavors for at least a week before making a cocktail with it. I made a big jar of apple peel bourbon for Thanksgiving, and then instead of using ginger beer as the recipe suggested, I used Martinelli�s sparkling apple cider (which is a holiday must in my household. This isn�t sponsored. I seriously just love Martinelli�s.). Several batches in, I realized the best combo is a sparkling cider base, the spiced bourbon, and then a ginger beer float on the top. So Christmassy! The bourbon gets so mellow and flavorful, and the apple cider brings out the� apple-y-ness. Mostly for cuteness, but also for a hint of flavor, you should definitely garnish with a sprig of rosemary, pomegranate arils, and a cinnamon stick. These are seriously good and dangerously chuggable. 
FYI: In true holiday spirit, my computer just kept trying to autocorrect �chuggable� to �huggable.� 

Spiced Apple Bourbon Sparklers

Spiced apple peel bourbon (recipe below)
Martinelli�s sparkling apple cider
Ginger beer (non alcoholic)
Fresh rosemary
Pomegranate arils (seeds)
cinnamon sticks

Fill rocks glasses with ice. Add 1 shot of the spiced bourbon to each glass, then fill 3/4 full with sparkling cider. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with a rosemary sprig, pomegranate arils, and a cinnamon stick. Feel free to adjust amounts based on your preference. 

Spiced Apple Peel Bourbon
Adapted from this recipe

Makes one large bottle/ jar 

2-3 large apples, peeled (use the apple for something else, use the peels here)
peel of 1 lemon or small orange
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 small chunk of peeled ginger
3 cardamom pods, smashed
One 750 milliliter bottle of bourbon (my first batch used rye, which was delish) 

Fill a large jar or bottle with the apple peels, and add the rest of the spices. Pour the bourbon over to completely cover. Let sit, sealed, for at least a week at room temperature (taste after a few days, and if the cinnamon or cloves seem strong, feel free to remove). After a week, strain, and keep the strained bourbon in a jar or bottle in the fridge. 

Holiday cooking/baking on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with guest host Laurie Hoogstraten, I am making the following dishes, plus a few extras.


This afternoon, I'll be at D.A. Niels, demonstrating the Gastrolux pan and making Tuna Tatatki (seared tuna) and Pomegranate Chicken with ras el hanout.

Spanikoptia Triangles

1 pkg filo dough
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1 white onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c mushroom sliced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika
3 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 c feta cheese crumbled
1 egg
pepper to taste
1/3 c butter
Thaw pastry in package. In advance, prepare filling. Saut� onion and garlic
until translucent. Add mushrooms and saut�. Add thawed spinach and
spices. Cook on medium-high heat until some of the water has cooked off.
Add grated feta. Mix in one beaten egg. Remove from heat and cool.
To prepare pastries: Heat oven to 350F. Dampen tea towel. Cut rolled
pastry into four equal parts and lay out on cutting board. Cover with
dampened towel. Melt butter and set aside with pastry brush. Fill pastries in
desired shapes (triangles, pockets, in muffin or cupcake tins, etc). Brush
pastries with melted butter before filo turns papery. Bake until golden, about
15 minutes.

Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

3 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 onion, shredded
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour or maztah meal
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika (optional)

Pickerel cheeks and vermouth or your favourite clear liquor.
Butter
Olive Oil
S & P
Cr�me Fraiche
Golden Caviar

Mix potato pancake ingredients together and fry in pancake size in a little olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and using cookie cutters, cut bite sized pieces from the pancake.
Saut� pickerel cheeks and deglaze with vermouth.

 Seared Ahi Tuna with 3 kinds of Sesame Seeds.

 Grilled Pomegranate Ras El Hanout Chicken.

Ukrainian food for New Year! Tuesday at the Madison Square MLCC for the Assiniboine Park

Last night I presented the following recipes for tasting at the Madison Square MLCC.  There are still spaces available for other events and you can register through the Leisure Guide, 311 or contacting the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.  

Each dish was paired with a beverage chosen by the MLCC's consultant, Stefanie Mills.  Lots of fun.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Reception beverage:  Slava Vodka ($30.70)with fresh dill

1. Mixed Mushrooms
Paired with Slavutich Premium Lager, Ukraine, $2.99 and Wilm Cremant D'Alsace Blanc de Noirs, France, $19.31

1 lb mushrooms (baby bella�s, cremini or button mushrooms) 
1 medium or 2 small onions 
3 tbsp olive oil 
3 tbsp sour cream 
Salt and Pepper to taste 
Chopped green onion, optional for garnish

Finely chop onions. Cut mushrooms into �� thick slices.In a medium, non-stick pan, saut� onions in 1-2 tbsp olive oil for a few min or until golden. In a separate, large pan, saut� sliced mushrooms in 1-2 tbsp olive oil until soft. Drain off excess juice if needed; leaving behind a small amount of juice.

Combine mushrooms and onions. Add in 3 tsp sour cream and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Beet Borsch
Paired with Trius Riesling Niagara Peninsula VQA, Canada, $13.99 and Baus Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, USA, $16.71 
3 raw red beets
1/2 cup dried mushrooms
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 large peeled and diced carrot
1 large potato peeled and diced (optional)
1/2 peeled and julienned parsley root
1 diced celery rib
3 peppercorns
8 cups water
 1/2 head shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1/2 cup cooked white beans (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream for garnish (optional)
More chopped dill for garnish (optional)

Cook beets in boiling water just until the skins slip off easily. Place in cold water and, when cool enough to handle, peel. Cut beets into thin strips and set aside. 

Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, pour enough boiling water to cover over dried mushrooms and let soak for 1 hour. Remove from soaking liquid and chop. Strain soaking liquid and reserve.

In a soup pot, saut� onion in oil until translucent. Add garlic and saut� 1 minute longer. Add carrots, potato (if using), parsley root, celery rib, peppercorns, mushrooms, strained mushroom soaking liquid, and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are al dente. Add shredded cabbage and cook until tender.

Add kvas or vinegar or lemon juice to give the soup its characteristic sour taste, tomato paste, dill, cooked beans (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes longer and serve hot with sour cream and dill garnish. It is traditional to serve rolls with garlic oil on the side.

3. Chicken Shashlyk
Paired with Geisen "The Brothers" Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, $18.99 and Galevan "Paroles de Femme" Cote Du Rhone, France, $16.40

Ingredients: 
2 Lbs Boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup Vinegar, any kind
1/4 cup Red wine
1 Large onion, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Bay leaves , crushed
Red Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Zucchinis, cut in 1 inch squares (optional)

Preparation:

Cut meat in cubes, slice the onion, then transfer into a pot. Add all remaining ingredients. Mix well. Put plate on the meat mixture and put some weight on it, so juices will come out. Cover the pot and put in the refrigerator for few hours, or overnight.
When ready to cook transfer meat onto the skewers alternating with vegetables. Preheat grill; grill on medium flame, making sure not to overcook. Not all the meat pieces will turn brown. If not sure, pierce with a knife for readiness.

Serving suggestions:

Substitute Chicken for lamb (Shish Kebab) or Pork. Perfect for the summer outdoor party.

4. Fruit Vereniky

Paired with Liefmans Fruitesse Beer, Belgium, $3.04

For most red-blooded Ukrainians, no dish is more tempting to feast on than well-filled, plump varenyky made of a soft dough and then served with sour cream.  Good varenyky should never be tough or pasty but tender and with a thin coating of dough.

2 cups flour                                   

1 tsp salt

1 egg or 2 yolks

� cup water

Plum Filling

Plums (preferably Damson)

Sugar

Cinnamon

Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl.  Add the egg and enough water to make a medium soft dough.  Knead on a floured board until smooth.  Too much kneading will toughen the dough.  Divide the dough into 2 parts.  Cover and let it stand for at least 10 minutes.  Prepare the fruit filling.  The filling should be thick enough to hold a shape.

Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board.  Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter or the open end of a glass.  For speedier work, the dough may be cut into 2 to 2 � inch squares.  Put the round on the palm of a hand.  Place a spoonful of the filling on it, fold over a half circle or triangle.  Press the edges together.  They should be free of filling and well sealed to prevent spilling out.  Place the varenyky on a floured board or tea towel to prevent drying.  Drop a few at a time into large amount of rapidly boiling salted water.  Stir gently if sticking and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the size and thickness.  They are ready to be eaten when well puffed.  Use a strainer to remove from water and drain well.  Place in buttered pan and keep warm until all are cooked.  Enjoy with sour cream and sugar.

Dinner & Movie: Creamy Mac n Cheese

�Bless this highly nutritious microwavable macaroni and cheese dinner and the people who sold it on sale. Amen.� - Kevin McCallister

Guys, Christmas is just around the corner, and it wouldn�t be the holidays without Home Alone. I happen to think Home Alone is the greatest holiday movie of all time, and potentially one of the greatest anytime movies of all time. It�s super quotable, has a killer soundtrack, fills you with warm holiday fuzzies, and helped an entire generation plan out how to protect their homes in the event of a burglary. Safety first. Amanda and I recently got together for our annual Home Alone viewing, and made a big pot of creamy Mac n Cheese for the event.

Its dinner & a movie: Holiday Style!

The Movie: Home Alone

Look what you did, you little jerk! Home Alone! The McCallister family heads to Paris for Christmas, and they accidentally leave 8-year old Kevin (an adorably tiny Macaulay Culkin) home alone. WE FORGOT KEVIN! Meanwhile, two crooks, the Wet Bandits, have big plans for the McCallister�s giant mansion-like house. Kevin comes up with a genius plot to foil the bad guys, and hilarity ensues. The little Nero�s pizza guy runs off in fear from Snakes and Johnny (Acey says 10 percent�), John Candy does the polka, Uncle Frank tries to steal the silverware and champagne glasses from the airplane, Kevin gets a good look at Buzz�s girlfriend (woof!), some totally great classic holiday tunes play, the old guy turns out to not be the shovel slayer after all, and in the end, the whole family is reunited on Christmas morning. Holiday classic! 


The Dinner: Creamy Mac n Cheese

There are a few potential meals you could serve with Home Alone. Pizza might be the obvious choice, since the Little Nero�s pizza guy makes a couple appearances, and Buzz eating all the cheese pizza in the beginning really sets off the chain of events that follow. But, remember that scene right before the Wet Bandits arrive for the final show-down? Kevin sits down (at a candle-lit table) to a bowl of microwaveable Kraft mac n cheese, and says a little thanks for the meal (see quote above). But then the clock chimes, and he doesn�t even get to take a bite. I always felt bad that the mac just sat there getting cold. Did he go back and eat it afterward? Maybe if he had a big pot of creamy, homemade mac n cheese he would have.

This recipe comes from Joy the Baker, and is simple, creamy, and rich� everything a good bowl of Mac n Cheese should be. So, head on over to Joy the Baker, whip up some mac n� cheese, and get ready to rock around the Christmas tree: it�s time for dinner & a movie!

Recipe: Joy the Baker�s Classic Mac n Cheese

Braunschweiger Kuchen, Gro�ma's recipe, by request

These cookies are from an old recipe of my grandmother's (Gro�ma Klassen).  The recipe calls for 4 1/4 cups flour but the extra 1/4 cup is not often used.

Braunschweiger Kuchen

 2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup butter
4 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground mace (or nutmeg)
1 tsp soda
1 tsp ground star anise
1 egg
1tbs lemon juice
1 tbs grated lemon zest
2 tbs milk

Mix the sugar and honey and heat over gentle heat (flame) until melted.  Do not boil.  Add butter, lemon juice and zest.  Cool.

Combine milk to which a beaten egg is added and stir liquids into flour that has been sifted with spices and soda.  Should be a soft sticky dough.

Let stand, wrapped in plastic, overnight.

Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick.  Sprinkle with sugar and roll over once.  Cut into shapes.

Bake at 350�F for up to 15 minutes (I baked for 11-12 minutes until just brown, depends on pans and ovens).  Store when cooled in containers with a piece of apple until cookies are soft - up to 3 weeks.

Happy Holidays!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013: Peppermint Mocha Icebox Cookies

For the second year in a row, I participated in THE BEST COOKIE SWAP EVER: The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! Last year I made Maple Waffle Cookies for the swap. This year, I decided to go minty and chocolaty.

I�m pretty much obsessed with peppermint. When peppermint ice cream starts popping up in stores I go crazy. It�s so good! And I�ll even bend my no-sugar, no-flavorings-in-coffee rule for peppermint mochas. Chocolate, coffee, peppermint...seriously, put that in my stocking this year!

I had seen peppermint mocha cookies before, but usually in drop-cookie form, with pieces of crushed candy cane mixed in the dough. I wanted to make something new, so I decided to do slice and bake cookies (icebox cookies), and then dip them in chocolate and coat that in crushed candy canes.

Sidenote #1: crushed candy canes are the most beautiful thing ever. It�s like sparkly white and pink glitter snow.

Sidenote #2: crushing candy canes kind of sucks. I put them in a big freezer sized ziplock, then wrapped that in a hand towel, then beat it with a hammer. Then, because I�m crazy and wanted perfect tiny little speckles, I sifted out the big chunks. #imcrazy

I love icebox cookies because they�re so easy. You can make the dough, then roll it in logs (which, unfortunately, resemble a friendly little Christmas cartoon named Hanky), and then freeze. Then you can fully clean your kitchen, listen to some holiday tunes, watch Home Alone, drink some hot buttered rum, get a good night�s sleep, and wake up the next day, bright eyed and ready to slice and bake!

Sidenote #3: I love the word icebox. Oooh, how retro. How very Madmen of you, Amber!

Also, thanks to the espresso powder, these cookies are super chocolaty. Like, majorly so. Like tiny little cookie shaped brownies. You�ll die ten times. Then you�ll add that cool pepperminty crunch of the crushed candy canes, and you�ll die a few more times. Probably 15 times in all.

Guys. Seriously.

Peppermint Mocha Icebox Cookies

Very loosely adapted from this recipe 

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup quality unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup dark or semi sweet chocolate chips

8-10 candy canes, crushed

Whisk flour, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer, beat sugar, vanilla, and egg on high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add butter and continue to beat on high speed until smooth, about 3 more minutes. Using your fingers, work flour mixture into butter mixture until dough is just combined. It will be sticky and a little difficult to work with, but it's all worth it!

Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 9" log. Wrap each log in parchment paper, twisting ends tightly to make a uniform longs. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap dough and slice each log into rounds about 1/3 inch thick. Place rounds 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are slightly puffy, about 8-9 minutes. Let sit on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to a rack to cool. Be careful, they're really soft at first. 

Let cookies cool completely. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or over a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Dip each cookie half-way in the chocolate (I tried to dip only on the top), and then dip in crushed candy canes. Set on wax paper to harden. Let cool completely. 

Enjoy!

Wait, there's more!

Looking for more recipes from the cookie swap? Check out the blogs of my random matches: the bloggers I sent these bad boys to, as well as the bloggers who sent cookies to me!

Strudel and Streusel

Thirty Five Ninety Five
Pudgie Pies

A Family Feast

DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS

It's Good to be the Cook

Christmas from around the world with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the MLCC

Tonight I will be presenting the following recipes for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy at the Madison Square MLCC on the theme of Christmas from around the world.  I did suggest local Golden Caviar as an option for the Latkes but, alas, it is no longer available in Canada.  It is all shipped to Europe and they won't make a local run as packaging costs too much.  

Bonnie Tulloch, of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, will be presenting on the different plants represented in the foods and Jody Twomey of the Manitoba Lotteries and Liquor will be presenting beverage pairings.  Enjoy!  Happy Holidays! 

1. Caramelized Shallot Tarts, a taste of Provence

Shallots
port or wine
rosemary or thyme
drizzle olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take the skins and ends off of the shallots and place them in a shallow baking dish. Add remaining ingredients and bake at 350�F oven for up to one hour or until the shallots are soft. Enjoy in a number of options or as a garnish to meats and vegetables or, combine with Okanagan Cherry reduction in tarts:

Dried Okanagan Cherry reduction
1 cup tart dried Okanagan cherries *
1 cup port
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbs butter
1 cup dry red wine or port
Soak cherries in port over night or for several hours.
In a sauce pan, heat soaked cherries and add wine or port and rosemary. Bring to a boil and add butter. Remove from heat and pur�e. Use on tarts or as a drizzle for meats or poultry.

2. Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Potato pancakes are served in Germany, Russia, many parts of Eastern Europe and Israel.  They can be found in Christmas markets and homes.

3 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 onion, shredded
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour or maztah meal
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika (optional)

Optional:  Golden Caviar (Available at Gimli Fish)

Mix potato pancake ingredients together and fry in pancake size in a little olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and using cookie cutters, cut bite sized pieces from the pancake.

Top each latke bite with cr�me fraiche and golden caviar.

3. Spanikoptia Triangles, served as bites for entertaining or �Lasagna style�.  A taste from Greece

1 pkg filo dough
2 pkgs frozen spinach
1 white onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c mushroom sliced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika
3 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 c feta cheese crumbled
1 egg
pepper to taste
1/3 c butter
Thaw pastry in package. In advance, prepare filling. Saut� onion and garlic
until translucent. Add mushrooms and saut�. Add thawed spinach and
spices. Cook on medium-high heat until some of the water has cooked off.
Add grated feta. Mix in one beaten egg. Remove from heat and cool.
To prepare pastries: Heat oven to 350F. Dampen tea towel. Cut rolled
pastry into four equal parts and lay out on cutting board. Cover with
dampened towel. Melt butter and set aside with pastry brush. Fill pastries in
desired shapes (triangles, pockets, in muffin or cupcake tins, etc). Brush
pastries with melted butter before filo turns papery. Bake until golden, about
15 minutes.

4. Toasted Panettone with Barolo Poached Pears

You can cook the pears the day before and re-heat them on Christmas Day.

SERVES 4
Barolo wine (or a Piedmont wine such as Barbera) 400ml
lemon rind (unwaxed) 2 strips
orange rind (unwaxed) 2 strips
cloves 2
bay leaf 1
caster sugar 200g
ripe pears such as Williams - do not peel just wash, then cut in half 2
panettone 4 slices, to serve

Add all the ingredients, except the pears and panettone, and 180ml water to a pan that will hold the fruit. Bring slowly to the boil and stir to dissolve the sugar, then boil for 15 minutes. Lower the heat, add the pear halves, and simmer for about 30 minutes until the pears are tender � when you can pierce them easily with a knife. Keep the liquid for later. Chill the pears and re-heat in the liquid.

Toast 4 slices of panettone and place on four plates, add 1 piece of hot pear on top and ladle over a little hot poaching liquid. Optional:  Serve with mascarpone or ice cream.