Virtual Cookie Exchange

Once again, it's that time of year when the one holiday tradition that many bakers look forward to is upon us. The annual Holiday Cookie Exchange! Remember those? If you’ve never experienced one before, let me tell you, you’re missing out – unless, of course, you chose the month of December to start your diet, in which case I suggest you stop right here and go find something else to read such as “How to make celery last throughout a Holiday Cocktail Party.”

I’m of the opinion that cookie exchanges exist so that a bunch of friends can get together catching up on all the "goings on" in their lives and eat cookies till they split. Aside from getting to spend time with friends, additional benefit is that you go home with a cookie tin full to the brim and a pocket full of recipes. I’ve been to many variations of these parties over the years and remembering back about parties from years past made me homesick thinking of my special friends that don't live in Texas. That’s when the idea popped into my head about taking advantage of our virtual world and do my own cookie exchange with a twist.

So a week ago, I asked some of my out-of-the-area girlfriends that I correspond with online if they’d be willing to share one of their "tried and true, make it every year" cookie recipes. I told them that I wanted to bake each of them to feel like I was in the kitchen with them. Naturally, they were up to it and the recipes started coming in. As I was baking each recipe, I started soulfully thinking about each recipe and each wonderful friend that it came from. Before I knew it I was laughing out loud and feeling this overwhelming warmth - and not because the oven was on! It was certainly no substitute for the real thing, but it eased my heart and gave me a feeling of kinship with each lady as I worked through their recipes – and of course, I still walked away with more than a pocketful of recipes and a tin full of cookies. For this holiday season, it provided me with a sweet reminder as to why these ladies are so important to me – I’m jus’ sayin’!


Anise Biscotti - This recipe comes from Karen Bushaw, a childhood friend that grew up across the street from me. We had lost touch for about 9 years before reconnecting this past summer and it was if we never skipped a single heartbeat. I think some friendships can just do that. Her Italian family played a very strong role in my life. Growing up, I watched them and their cooking more than they probably will ever know and I still make some of their recipes today for my family. She is a very beautiful lady inside and out and I am honored to call her my forever friend.



Anise Biscotti

Mix in One Bowl:
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup shortnening
4 3/4 cup flour
3 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. anise flavoring
6 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 350º

Form dough on cookie sheet into a long log and flatten till about an inch thick. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes or light brown*, let them cool slightly, and cut diagonally and place back on the cookie sheet, side down, browning both sides of cookie and turning when brown - about 5 minutes each side.

* I find that 15 minutes is not always enough ;)


Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies - My friend Lisa Marks shared this recipe with me. She lives in Northern California and along with her daughter, join Johnee and I every summer for our annual Mother/Daughter trip. Although I've known her since our childhood, our friendship has grown over the last ten years and I value her guidance, wisdom and amazing listening skills every day. We try to chat every other day online to stay connected.



Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (craisins)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds

Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in oatmeal, cranberries, chocolate chips and almonds. Drop by teaspoonful onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.


Grandma Mahugh's Candy Cookies - This next recipe comes from my friend Katie Dickson, also in Northern California, who continues to bake her Grandma's "secret recipe" every year. Giving away the "family secret" comes as no surprise to me because in the nearly 30 years that I've known her she has always been the kind of friend that will give you the proverbial shirt off her back if she thinks it will bring you comfort. Her Grandma had a special home filled with love and I know that if Grandma were still with us she would be filled with joy to know that Katie continues in her legacy to embrace kids who need love and acceptance and focuses every day in giving of herself.



Grandma Mahugh's Candy Cookies

Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 pkg (1 lb) brown sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup crushed wheaties
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix all ingredients together with electric mixer. Refrigerate over night. Roll into balls. Keep the mixture cold. If it gets to warm, pop back in the refrigerator. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. If you do not use parchment you will see the brown sugar caramelize. Be careful not to burn the bottoms of the cookies. If you use parchment, it won't burn but it also won't be the original cookie. So experiment and see which you like best. I personally like the parchment cookies better. My uncles like the caramelized version.


Orange Coconut Balls - This tasty recipe comes from Amy Hadley, a very special lady I met here in Austin a few years ago. Wait! Before you think I broke the rules by including a "local", let me explain. Last year, she and her husband made a bold move and decided to pack-up and live for a year in Prague. She is an amazing and talented woman and if you would like to follow her "Prague Adventure", please visit her website at http://hello-unknown.com/ She is funny, witty, crafty and organized and her contagious personality will grab you in a minute. She says this recipe is one of the most popular in the Bowlin house every year... "my brothers pop them like they're... well, candy".



Orange Coconut Balls

Ingredients:
1 stick butter (1/2 c.)
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 lb. box vanilla wafers, finely crushed

Mix well and form into balls. Roll in shredded coconut mixed with finely chopped pecans (or walnuts).
Store in airtight container. Can be frozen.


Soft Molasses Cookies = This last cookie recipe comes from another Austin friend who moved away to Arizona - hopefully to return home soon! Amy De Medici is someone that brings a tremendous amount of light into a room and fills it with love. I truly appreciate her insight and believe her to be a true gift. She recently lost both her grandmother and father and this particular cookie was one her Grandma always made.



Soft Molasses Cookies (Granny Wallace)

2 1/2 cups shortening
3 cups sugar (white)
3 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
6 cups flour
2 tbls soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 to 1 1/2 tbls of ground cloves
1 to 1 1/2 tbls of cinnamon

Roll pieces into small balls, flatten a little if you want and place on cookie sheet*. Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

* I tweaked this a bit by rolling the balls in sugar before placing on the cookie sheet


Peppermint Crinkles


This blog wouldn't be complete without including my own. Here's my recipe for Peppermint Crinkles (my new personal favorite). I found this link with the same recipe so I've simply pointed to it here. http://www.tootsie.com/rec_cocoacookies.php

Texas Sheet Cupcakes!

About eight years ago I found myself at my first Texas church potluck. It was there that I was first introduced to the "Texas sheet cake". Funny that in all my years of baking and having my Daddy share all of his Southern recipes with me, this one somehow passed on by me. I first started noticing this odd looking sheet cake at church potlucks. Then when we'd go to friends' houses for parties I'd see it there too. I never saw it in the bakeries and quite honestly, it never looked that appealing to me. Then one Sunday, as I was last in line at a church picnic and the peach cobbler was all gone (and I just don't care for bananna pudding), someone handed me a slice of this Texas sheet cake. It was then that I found pure joy in this little slice of heaven (and not because I was standing on Holy ground - well, maybe). My fork went deep into this fudge-like consistency before hitting this dense, moist, chocolate and almost brownie-like cake with a subtle hint of cinnamon. Wow! Who Knew? It was then and there that I felt somehow deprived of a Texas specialty. It was also in that moment that I decided to learn more about the "Texas Sheet Cake". Some say it got its name from being as "big" as Texas because it's made in either a 13"x9" or sheet cake sized pan. Or that Lady Bird Johnson brought it with her to the White House. Some say it's so sweet that you only need one little piece to satisfy the sweet tooth, which means one cake is enough to feed a crowd, and Texans are always feeding crowds. Which brings me to my theory. I think - and I will quote from "Steel Magnolias" - it's because "it freezes beautifully" as well as transports easily, whether it's to a church potluck, a graduation, a funeral or a family reunion.

So not too long ago, I got a request to make this recipe. My friend Meaghan's family celebrates her Mother's birthday on Thanksgiving every year. She wanted to surprise her Mother this year with her favorite cakes. Earlier in the month, she secretly got her Grandmother's Texas Sheet Cake recipe from her Mom (as well as her recipe for German Chocolate Cake, as I was asked to make that too). Normally on a recipe so tried and true, I will not change anything - I mean, why mess with perfection, right? Besides, this was all about Meaghan's Grandma so I needed it to be baked from the heart. That said, I couldn't help but to try and put a new spin on it (insert sheepish grin here). I thought, why not cupcakes? Everyone loves cupcakes and I knew this cake would be sharing a dessert table with many traditional Thanksgiving desserts. My twist on this traditional cake turned out as I had hoped and was enjoyed by all.

Here's a list of things you need to know if you want to make these delicious cupcakes.
1) Make sure you only fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full of batter. You'll need to use the top of the liner as a lip to keep the warm molten icing in place as it sets up.

2) I do not suggest using Texas-sized cupcake liners. I put the same amount of batter in each one but they baked inconsistently - some were higher and fuller and some sunk down when the icing was poured on.

3) It's important to make your icing as soon as you put those cupcakes in the oven since the icing needs to be finished and cooled a bit to spoon on the cakes as soon as they are out of that warm oven.

4) Last but not least - don't feel the least bit embarrassed over the final product if they look a little off. After all, this is just one of those recipes that every Texan knows tastes better then they look. I'm jus' sayin'!


Texas Sheet Cake
(Recipe from Meaghan's Grandmother)
Archived from Cooking Light

Ingredients
Cake:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or stick margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Icing:
6 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare the cake, coat a 15x10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.

Note: You can also make this recipe in a 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 375º for 22 minutes.

Cupcake Variation
Line cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners - fill 3/4 full of batter. Bake 15-18 minutes (depending on your oven). When you touch the top and it springs back it will be done. Pull cakes out and spoon 1-2 Tbs. of warm icing on each cake. No worries if some sink down. I also garnished mine with a dollop of regular chocolate butter cream icing (I know it's a bit over the top but what can I say - it's a sugar thing! I also purchased a cute little State of Texas chocolate mold to garnish each cake with. You can get that here. Oh and because I was trying to "mask" some of the cupcake's inconsistancies, I put a few white chocolate curls on top by just using my potato peeler over a cube of white almond bark.

Meghan's Grandmother's Down Home German Chocolate Cake
(Archived from the original Bakers German Chocolate bar)