Ribbon Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 square (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
6 drops green food coloring

Line a 9"x5" or 8"x4" loaf pan with foil.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, vanilla, and egg; blend until a stiff dough forms.

Divide the dough into three parts. Stir the cherries and almond extract into one part, the chocolate into the second, and the nuts and green food coloring into the third.

Spoon and evenly press (in any order) the chocolate, green/nut, and cherry doughs into the lined pan. Cover; chill several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the dough from the pan. Cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 1/4" slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes until edges are slightly brown.

Cool on wire racks.

Fudge Ecstasies

1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbls. butter
2/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt together 1 cup chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate squares, and butter.

In a mixing bowl, beat melted chocolate, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Beat until well blended.
Stir in remaining cup of chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (or cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Edges should be firm and surface dull. Do not overbake.

Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, remove to rack to continue cooling.

Makes 3 dozen

Forgotten Cookies

2 egg whites
pinch of salt
2/3 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt and continue beating until they stand in soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, beating thoroughly until mixture form stiff peaks.

Sprinkle vanilla and chocolate chips over the top; fold in.

Drop by small teaspoons onto lightly buttered cookie sheet (or cover cookie sheet with parchment). The cookies may be close together since they will not spread.

Place in hot oven and turn the oven off immediately. Let the cookies dry overnight in the oven.

Peanut Blossoms

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 Tbl. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
sugar
milk chocolate kisses (about 48)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla, and egg; blend at low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1 inch balls; roll sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with a candy kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely. Makes 4 dozen.

Tiny Holiday Tarts

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 pound butter, softened
1 cup flour
1/3 cup raspberry preserves
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup almond paste, crumbled
In an electric mixer, cream cheese and butter until fluffy, add flour. Mix just until blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Press ball into a greased mini muffin pan or you can also use the mini muffin paper cups in the muffin pans instead. Divide the preserves among the pastries (about 1/2 tsp. in each.)

Beat together the egg, sugar, and almond paste. Spoon 1 level teaspoon of the almond mixture over the preserves in each pastry.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Remove pan from the oven. Cool in slightly pan on a wire rack, then remove from pan to continue cooling. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 2 dozen

Childhood Thumbprint Cookies

This recipe came from Southern Living magazine, December 1985.

1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Chill.

Roll dough into 1" balls; place balls about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Press thumb in each ball of dough, leaving an indentation. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes; do not brown. Allow to cool on wire racks. Place about 1/2 t. chocolate frosting in each cookie indentation.

Chocolate Frosting:
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Combine sugar, cocoa, and milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Beat until mixture is of spreading consistency.

Butterfinger Cookies

This recipe came from Taste of Home, July/98.

1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/4 c. chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
5 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounces each), chopped

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg whites; beat well. Blend in peanut butter and vanilla. combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in candy bars.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on greased baking sheets. I use parchment paper instead and highly recommend it over greasing the pan. The cookies come off the paper without any problem and you don't have to wash crusted on cookie bits from the baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.