Snowball Cookies!

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Here are some fun winter cookies I think you will like! I call them snowball cookies because they are dipped in white chocolate, and then dipped in edible crystal flakes that look like glistening snow. They also have a surprise ingredient in the center~a chocolate kiss! So you can throw them at someone you love!

SNOW BALL COOKIES

1 cup Butter

1 cup Confectioners Sugar

1 cup Granulated Sugar

2 large Eggs

1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

5 1/4 cup Flour

1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar 

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Salt
White Chocolate or White Candy Melts
or White Chocolate Chips
Sparkly Clear Sprinkles


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat your butter on medium until it is fluffy.

Add both sugars, and mix well.

Add your eggs, oil, vanilla and lemon juice.

Beat until blended.

In a separate bowl, mix together your flour, cream of tartar,

baking soda and salt.

Add the flour mix to your egg mix and beat until blended.

Using a small scoop, Scoop out the cookie mix.

Place it on your parchment paper.

Unwrap your chocolate kisses and......

place the chocolate kiss upside down into your dough.

Mold the dough around your chocolate 
and form into a ball.
Place on baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.
Don't worry about browning the cookies.
They will get a little brown on the bottom only.

Let your cookies cool completely.
(They taste really good right now with the melty kiss inside!)

While your cookies are cooling, chop your white chocolate,
and melt it in a double boiler or microwave if you prefer.

Once the chocolate is melted, place the top of 
the cookie in the chocolate to coat the top.

Then dip the top of the chocolate covered cookie 
into the sparkly sprinkles.
Set them back on your cooling rack to dry. 

They look so pretty, .....

and here is your surprise inside!

I hope you enjoy these snowball cookies. This recipe is originally from
an adaption of the thumbprint cookies that I love to make from
a Southern Living recipe. I love when recipes are so good they
can be used as several different items, don't you?!

Thanks for stopping by!


 

Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows Sugar Cookies

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Today I am participating in the Lady Behind The Curtain Dessert Challenge, and I made Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows Sugar Cookies. The ingredients for this month are cocoa or chocolate pudding and marshmallows. This is always such a fun challenge, and I am so glad to finally be participating again. I made these sugar cookies because I am always trying to improve my decorating skills, and because they were fun!

Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows Sugar Cookies

I used my "go to" sugar cookie recipe to make the cookies, and then I used 

my favorite frosting recipe for the top.

When I made the chocolate in the mug, I used some of the frosting and added 

a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the frosting. It came out really tasty!

I drew on a little mug with a food marker, and then
outlined the mug with the frosting.

I filled in the mug and .....

added hot chocolate and a handle.

Pop the marshmallows on top, and that's it!

One of my resolutions for the new year is to become
a better cookie decorator, so this is the beginning
of the journey. We will see.

Thanks for joining me today!

Check out what everyone else made below:

Celebrate New Years with this Buffalo Wings Flatbread Appetizer!

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I love a New Years Eve Party! Well, I love just about any reason for a party, but....New Years Eve is a great reason, and if you are looking for a simple, but yummy, appetizer for your New Years festivities, this Buffalo Wings Flatbread is for you! One of the reasons I love this appetizer is because I used actual leftover buffalo chicken wings to create this recipe. My husband and I went to TGI Fridays to have some lunch. We tried some appetizers, one of which was a flatbread. We also ordered chicken wings, some other yummy food, and had a really fun time. As usual, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and we ended up bringing home a bunch of chicken wings. After 2 days, the wings were still in the fridge, and I wanted to do something with them. I remembered that I had some flatbread I had bought at the grocery. Then, I thought about the flatbread we had at lunch, and I thought, what if I do this and add this, and I ended up with this flatbread, kinda inspired by TGI Fridays!

Buffalo Wings Flatbread

1 Flatbread

4 oz. Cream Cheese-softened

1 1/2 teaspoon Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce

7 cooked Buffalo Wings

2 stalks Scallions

1 Roma Tomato

Ranch Dressing

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

I bought these at the grocery store.

They were sitting on shelves in front of the deli case.

The first thing to do is de-bone the chicken wings. I tried

to use a little of the skin, for the great flavor,

 but I pulled out any really fatty pieces. 

Chop your scallions also.

Chop your tomatoes. 

It is best to make them bite size or smaller.

Bake your flatbread, with nothing on it, for 10 minutes in the oven.

While it is cooking, mix your softened cream cheese and 

the wing sauce together. Add more or less to your liking.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the flatbread.

Top the spread with chicken, scallions and tomatoes.

Bake in the oven for 10 -15 minutes

 Drizzle with ranch dressing, or.......

add some blue cheese crumbles. Yum!!

I cut my flatbread like a pizza slice, but you could do squares

and serve a lot more guests!

Thank you for joining me today!

Have a Happy, Happy New Year !

See you in 2014!!

The Season of Sweets at P.F.Chang!

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of P.F. Changs for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I admit it! I have an incredible sweet tooth. To satisfy it, I am always on the lookout for some new or revamped treat that will conquer my craving and leave me happy and smiling! During the holidays, sweets are everywhere, and they are easy to obtain. But P.F. Chang’s is offering some seasonal sweets that satisfy and delight!

How does a handmade Dessert Wonton sound? I know, right? It sounds incredible! Now, how about two different flavors~Chocolate Raspberry and Sweet Vanilla Cream. All I can say is bring them on, and bring both kinds! The Chocolate Raspberry is stuffed with a creamy chocolate-raspberry filling, dusted with powdered sugar, served with chocolate and raspberry sauces and fresh raspberries and mint. Oh, heaven!! And the Sweet Vanilla Cream? Warm and crispy wontons filled with vanilla cream cheese, dusted with powdered sugar and served with vanilla and raspberry sauces and fresh mint.

What about a Peppermint Mocha Cappuccino? It sounds like a great way to end a wonderful meal, doesn't it? You can enjoy a Crave Mint Chocolate Liqueur and vodka added to a classic cappuccino, finished with crushed peppermint candy. Are you in love with the aroma and taste of vanilla bean? Then treat your taste buds to a Vanilla Bean Bourban Milkshake!!  Woodford bourbon is blended with vanilla bean ice cream, graham crackers and honey, and served with a honey graham cracker pop. Pure bliss!

Drop in to P.F. Changs this holiday season and enjoy their traditional menu, which is always wonderful, and add some sweet to this sweetest of seasons by trying their delicious handmade dessert wontons or one of their two handcrafted holiday beverages.

If you get there before me, order me a Sweet Vanilla Cream Wonton and a Peppermint Mocha Cappuccino!

What are you excited about ordering?

 

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Cardamom Orange Sugar Cookies, a Cookie Swap Party and a $50 Target Giveaway!

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 Today I have the pleasure of joining in a Cookie Swap Party! Being a devout cookie lover, I decided to try something a little different this time, and I made a Cardamom-Orange Sugar Cookie.  The flavor of cardamom is one of my favorites (although I seldom use it), and when I saw this recipe from Dede Wilson of  Epicurious.com, I had to try it. I hope you enjoy it too!

 Cardamom Orange Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 1/4 teaspoons Ground Cardamom

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 cups Butter, room temperature

1 cup + 2 tablespoons Sugar

1 1/2  teaspoons finely grated Orange Peel

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 large Egg

1/2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips, melted

holiday sprinkles

 Whisk your flour, cardamom, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat your butter and sugar until light and creamy. 

Beat in finely grated orange peel and vanilla.

Add your egg and beat to blend.

Add your flour to the wet ingredients in 3 increments.

Beat on low after each addition, just until blended.

Divide your dough in half. 

Wrap each half in parchment or plastic wrap.

Chill about 45 minutes. Dough can be chilled for

up to 24 hours if you want to make ahead.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Use a cookie scoop, or you can form with your hands,

and place dough on the baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Let cool.

Swirl your melted chocolate on top of your cooled cookies.

Sprinkle with holiday colors!

A note about Cardamom~It is an expensive spice. It can be used

in lots of different recipes, not just sweets. It has a unique flavor,

which I love, and I am sure you will too.

Let's meet the hostesses of this fun link party:

Ang from Juggling Act Mama is bringing Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Teri from The Freshman Cook is bringing Cardamom Orange Sugar Cookies

Jamie from Love Bakes Good Cakes is bringing Italian Anise Cookies

Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama is bringing Biscoff Snickerdoodles

Paula from Call me PMc is bringing White Chocolate Chip Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Stacey from Glued to my Crafts is bringing Almond Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Deb from Cooking on the Front Burner is bringing Cranberry Orange Slice Cookies

Jaime from Mom's Test Kitchen is bringing Holiday Vanilla Pudding Cake Cookies

Marilyn from 4 You With Love is bringing Chocolate Peppermint Rice Crispy Treats

Please be sure to hop around and visit all the ladies and check out their tasty cookies! Join the Holiday Cookie Link Party!

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Gingerbread Cookies with Eggnog Topping!

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Today I am sharing my official cookie of this years Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. This is my third year participating in this fun, tasty and rewarding holiday activity~I just love it. The cookie swap is a great time because I actually send 1 dozen real, not virtual, cookies to 3 different participants. It is oh, so tasty because I receive 3 dozen yummy cookies from my swap partners.The rewards I reap are because the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap participates in Cookies For Kids Cancer. This is a national non-profit organization committed to funding new therapies used in the fight against pediatric cancer, which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease.This year we raised $13,778.40 for Cookies for Kids' Cancer! Great fun, great Christmas Cookies and a great cause! Win, Win, Win!!!

So, what did I make this year? One of my old favorites, but with a new twist! 

Gingerbread Cookies with an Eggnog Topping
3/4 cup Butter, softened
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 Egg
3/4 cup Molasses
4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda 
1 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
pinch of Salt
1/2 bag of Wilton Candy Melts~Eggnog flavor

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

 Add egg and molasses.
Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, 
cloves and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mix.

Divide your dough in half and refrigerate it for about 4 hours.

 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
Scoop the dough into balls and place on your baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cool completely.

Melt about 1/2 package of candy melts
according to package directions.

Spread the melted melts on top of each cookie.
Let the tops set up.

I packed up the cookies,

decorated the cookie tin, and sent them on their way!

But, I did keep a few for quality control!.
I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Visit the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap facebook page,
and find out how you can join us next Christmas!
Thank you 
Lindsay from Love and Olive Oil
and
Julie from The Little Kitchen
for all you hard work and dedication!
 

Make your Black Friday Green with this Giveaway!!

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42 blogs are bringing you an amazing giveaway to get your holiday season underway! We're hoping to make the holiday season easier for one of our lucky readers, $500.00 worth of easier that is! 

The winner will be able to choose from an XBOX 360 Kinect Nike+ Bundle, a Kindle Fire HD 8.9", or a KitchenAid 5 Quart Stand Mixer in the color of your choice! Oh and to top it all off, we're going to give you the difference in an Amazon gift card to make your grand prize total $500.00! 

For example, if you choose the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" as your prize, it's $229.00. 

$500.00-$229.00=$271 Amazon gift card. 

Amounts based on price at time of shipment.

Sounds like something you'd like to win, right? Well, without further rambling, on to the giveaway! Good luck!

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How to relax this weekend!

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Netflix for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Here in The Freshman Cook household, we are eagerly awaiting Thanksgiving Day and the entire Thanksgiving weekend! We have lots of big plans in the works, such as eating lots and lots of food,  shopping till we drop, laughing and sharing with friends and relatives, creating a Christmas craft or two, and relaxing!!! Mostly relaxing!!!!  One of our favorite ways to relax is to cook a great meal at home, and then snuggle down with a movie from Netflix!

I know you have heard of Netflix, but have you tried it? You really need to!! Netflix is just wonderful because you can enjoy your favorite TV show or movie anytime and anywhere you want.  And when I say, anywhere, I mean it. Watch your show on an iPad in your kitchen, on the big screen in the family room, or even on your phone while you are waiting in line at the grocery!What a great way to reduce the stress while shopping this weekend!!

We will definitely be watching Netflix Thanksgiving day while the turkey is cooking! Some of our favorites to watch are Revenge (we are still catching up), comedian Kevin Hart, and one of my very favorites, Next Great Baker ! I also just saw my all time favorite Christmas movie listed, White Christmas!! Love it!!

Not sure what you would watch? There are so many movies and TV shows to choose from! Netflix wants to make it easy to bring your family together on Turkey Day. Just log in and they will suggest shows and movies for you to watch while your turkey is baking.

But what are you cooking for the rest of the weekend?  I will be cooking this recipe for  Freddy's Sticky Saucy  Ribs.  Netflix is showcasing Chef Curtis Stone and this recipe created  just for Netflix. Try it out. I'll let you know how we liked it!! Let me know what you think!

So, this weekend when you are ready to unwind and just relax~think Netflix!

 

Freddy’s Sticky Saucy Barbecued Ribs

 

Every time I’m watching “House of Cards” on Netflix, I want to taste those ribs that Frank eats from Freddy’s BBQ Joint. Now we all can sink our teeth into those sticky saucy ribs right along with Frank! These ribs are served with a barbecue sauce more like the one you’ll find in North Carolina (where Frank is from originally) – one with plenty of vinegar, mustard, and a touch of heat. I’ve included two cooking methods for you to try – the original true barbecue method where the ribs are slowly smoked in the barbecue, and the quicker oven-baked version – both are finger lickin’ good!

 

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 5 hours (includes marinating time)

Cook Time: 4 1/2 hours (for barbecued ribs) or 2 1/2 hours (for oven-baked ribs)

Make-Ahead: The barbecue sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated; reheat before using.

Ingredients

Spice Rub:

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin


 

Barbecue Sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 yellow onion, chopped


3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup whiskey


1 1/4 cups cider vinegar


2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 cup honey

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

Ribs:

4 racks pork baby back ribs (2 1/2-pounds each)

3/4 cup cider vinegar

 

Optional Special Equipment to Barbecue the Ribs:

One 13 × 9-inch (or larger) disposable aluminum foil pan

3 cups hickory wood chips, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour

Clean spray bottle

 

Method

To prepare the spice rub:

1. The day before you cook the ribs, make the spice rub. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin together. Place the ribs on 2 large baking sheets and rub the ribs all over with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Meanwhile, to make the barbecue sauce:

2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic is tender.
3. Stir in the paprika, then stir in the whisky and vinegar, bring just to a simmer, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, ketchup, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring the sauce to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often to prevent scorching, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat.

To barbecue the ribs:

4. Prepare an outdoor grill for low cooking over indirect heat: For a gas grill, place the foil pan over one or two unlit burners and half-fill the pan with water. Turn on the remaining burner(s) and heat the grill to 300°F. Spread 1 cup of the drained wood chips on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the foil directly on the lit burner and wait until the chips are smoking before you add the ribs to the grill.
5. For a charcoal grill, place the foil pan on the charcoal grate on one side of the grill and half-fill the pan with water. Build a charcoal fire on the other side and let it burn until the coals are covered with white ash and you can hold your hand just above the cooking grate for 4 to 5 seconds. (To check the temperature more accurately, cover the grill and drop a long-stemmed metal candy thermometer through the top vent; it should register about 300°F.) Sprinkle 1 cup of the drained wood chips over the coals.
6. Combine the vinegar and 3/4 cup water in the spray bottle. Season the ribs with the salt. Place the ribs on the cooking grate over the water-filled pan. (Don’t worry if the ribs extend over the pan, as the pan will still catch the majority of the dripping juices.) Grill, with the lid closed, turning the ribs over and spraying them every 45 minutes or so with the vinegar mixture, adding another cup of drained wood chips at the same intervals, for about 3 hours, or until the meat is just tender. For a charcoal grill, you will need to add 12 ignited charcoal briquettes (or the equivalent in hardwood charcoal) to the fire along with the chips every 45 minutes to maintain the grill temperature. (Light the charcoal in a chimney starter on a fire-safe surface, or use a small portable grill or hibachi.) For either grill, do not add more wood chips after the 1 hour and 30 minute point, as too much smoke will give the ribs a bitter flavor.
7. Once the ribs are tender, begin brushing them lightly with the barbecue sauce every few minutes or so, allowing the sauce to set before applying the next coat. Continue brushing the ribs with the sauce, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the meat has shrunk from the ends of the bones. Transfer the ribs to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Alternatively, to bake the ribs:

8. Position the racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the ribs on the baking sheets with foil. Bake the ribs, rotating the baking sheets and basting the ribs after the first 45 minutes, and recovering them with foil, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the ribs are tender and the meat has shrunk from the ends of the bones.
9. Uncover the ribs, baste them with the barbecue sauce and continue baking for 10 minutes, brushing them lightly with the barbecue sauce every few minutes or so, allowing the sauce to set before applying the next coat.

To serve:

10. Using a large sharp knife, cut the racks into individual ribs. Arrange the ribs on a platter and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

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Happy Halloween!

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7b274bfa90d16953dd427e79784836b0309e17674474d5f9b2

Cash Giveaway!

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If you have never had the pleasure of reading the blog, SayNotSweetAnne, you must get over there now!  The blog is authored by Kayla, who is a graphic designer, and her blog is overflowing with fun, creative things like costumes, recipes (love the graveyard cupcakes!), things to make for your home, and a gorgeous blog planner, just to name a few! Kayla's blog is turning 2, so today she has a special post on her blog today from her friend, Ashley, that you have to see, it's so cute! Plus she is sponsoring a giveaway!!! You can win a $300 Amazon.com gift card. Perfect timing with the holidays quickly approaching!! So enter below to win, and drop by SayNotSweetAnne to see one really creative paper craft!!

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