Category: cookies

Grinch Jello Christmas Cookies: recipes at my table

Grinch Jello Cookies

Grinch Jello Cookies

Grinch Jello Cookies make Christmas fun with many possibilities.  Today these cookies flavoured with green gelatin belong to the Grinch.  My grandson loves the movie and everything about the Grinch.  I catch Owen sometimes slithering like the Grinch and then we break out in laughter.

If you like, make two batches colouring one with red gelatin.  They look pretty packaged in cellophane alternating the colours and wrap in pretty Christmas ribbon.  The gelatin gives these cookies the flavour and my Grinch cookies taste like lime.

It is always easy when the ingredients come together.

Once mixed theses cookies take on the colour of the Grinch today.

Sprinkle a little extra sugar over the top when they come out of the oven.

These go into a pretty tin today.

Watch how quickly these cookies come together.

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Grinch Jello Christmas Cookies: recipes at my table
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Grinch Jello Cookies

Grinch Jello Cookies are for my grandson Owen and every child with an imagination. 

Course Dessert
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Grinch Cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 pkg green flavoured gelatin or your favourite colour
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • extra sugar dipping and sprinkling

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl mix butter and shortening .

    Add in the sugar, gelatin and beat.

    Follow with the eggs, almond extract and beat again.

    Add the flour, baking powder and salt.  

    Bring the dough together in the bowl with a spatula and put onto the counter.

    Knead to bring everything together.

    Use a tablespoon for big cookies or teaspoon for smaller ones.

    Roll, dip in sugar and flatten onto an ungreased cookies sheet.

    Bake at 350 F for 10 to 13 minutes.  This will depend on the size of your cookies and oven.

    Sprinkle with more sugar when they come out of the oven. 

    These cookies freeze well.  This recipe makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies depending on their size.  

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Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts Recipes at My Table

Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts

Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts

Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts are a mock version of my nonna’s Chinudille.  Just like every other Italian recipe every southern Italian has a different version.  My mom makes chinudille the traditional way with the homemade dough which is much denser than my cheat version.  I use premade pie dough to hold in the sweetness of the nuts and jam.  This dough is fluffy and puffs up more.  I don’t know what my nonna Emilia would think, but I am trying to find ways to entertain with no fuss.

Even the same region of Italy can have a different name for the same dish.  Chinudille are also refereed to as Petrali in some parts of Calabria.  All small towns have their own dialect; therefore, some of my Italian friends may have a different name for these.  Some ice them, while others leave them plain.  An excellent read and recipes for Calabrese : http://www.madeinsouthitalytoday.com/calabria-cookies–baked-goods.php

When I  glaze these crescent moons with a little icing sugar, I use the jam to colour the sugar.  My goal is to replace the food colouring with natural colours; therefore, I take a little jam, dilute it with water, put it through a sieve for natural colour.  I leave some of the Crescent Moons naked because I want to savour the jam and nuts.

Much of our Italian baking is very simple because nonna didn’t have much to choose from during the depression and the war.  Flour, sugar and eggs comprise the base for many sweet treats and and a few nuts, fruits and berries go a long way.

The frozen pie dough makes these cookies easy to prepare.

Cut out little rounds.

The filling consists of nuts and jam.

Place tiny dabs of the mixture in the rounds.  Fold over and crimp.

It’s easy to crimp the rounds together with a fork.

Little bites ready for the oven.  You can make them larger, but this is the perfect size for entertaining.

I will ice some of them, and my natural food colouring is strawberry jam.  Heated with some water and put through a sieve it will colour the icing sugar.  

Out of the oven and you can see that some of the jam oozes out, but it’s ok.

The icing is opaque and clings to the little pockets.  It is not a heavy icing and actually compliments the jam.  

Plated for the table.

Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts Recipes at My Table
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Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts

My cheat version of nonna's Chinudile.  

Course Dessert
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Keyword Crescent Moons with Jam and Nuts
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 30
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The cookies

  • 1 ready made pie crust
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 tbsp strawberry jam grape is also good
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour for dusting

The icing

  • 2 tbsp jam
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar

Instructions

The cookies

  1. Heat oven to 450 F. ( check frozen pie dough instructions)

    Remove pie dough from wrapper.  Follow all instructions on package for defrosting.

    Put a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on the counter.

    Dust with flour and roll out the pie dough a bit thinner.

    Use a circle to cut out rounds. I used my pierogi cutter.

    Mix the chopped walnuts and jam. Place a dab in the middle of each round.

    Fold over the rounds and crimp with a fork.

    Place in over for about 5 minutes.  ( temperature may vary according to your oven)  They should be golden brown and puffed.

    These may be served as is and are bite size for entertaining.

The Icing

  1. Place the jam and water in a small pot and dissolve.

    Strain through a sieve.

    Add the almond extract and the powdered sugar.

    Combine and drizzle over the crescent moons.  

Recipe Notes

If you are looking to make the authentic Chinudille go to https://bigflavorstinykitchen.com/turdilli-chinudille-2/

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Glazed Fruit Coconut Drops

Glazed Fruit Coconut Drops

My Glazed Fruit Coconut Drops are quick and easy to prepare; it takes me about 20 minutes. I love adding coconut whenever I can because it is a healthy fat.  Dehydrated coconut adds flavour to baking; according to health studies it contains iron and helps with circulation.   Good information: https://www.boldsky.com/health/wellness/2017/dry-coconut-health-benefits-uses/articlecontent-pf157161-113358.html

Italians and coconuts

I remember the first time we bought a coconut at our house.  Mom tried cutting it with a knife and of course it didn’t work.  We took it out to the garage and hit it with a hammer.  It’s the laughter and simplicity of my childhood that makes the kitchen such a happy place. Years later when in Italy vacationing on the beach at Cefalù, Sicily we would wait for the voice of the beach vendors ” Cocco Bello” as they sold their coconut over ice.  They live in the moment and you can feel their love of life.  What a wonderful snack and great memories.  This is typical of the coconut vendors any beach in Sicily : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWg138okGAY

Putting the dough together

 cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and then add the flour 1/4 cup at a time.

The final addition is the coconut and I stir to blend.

I drop them by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet and decorate with glazed fruit.

 

Glazed Fruit Coconut Drops: recipes at my table
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Glazed Fruit Coconut Drops

Easy 20 minutes good for you cookies.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Cookies

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened dry coconut
  • 1/4 cup glazed fruit

Dusting of goodness

  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Line baking pans with parchment paper.

    Heat oven to 400 F.

    Cream butter with sugar.

    Add eggs and vanilla extract.

    Fold in flour 1/4 cup at a time.

    Add coconut.

    Drop by teaspoonful onto baking pans. 

    Garnish with glazed fruit

    Cook for 13-15 minutes.

    Remove and cool. 

    Dust with goodness if desired.  They are also good just plain.  

Recipe Notes

This recipe made 28 cookies.

You can also put a candied cherry on top.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Vanilla Cinnamon Bailey Snowballs

Vanilla Cinnamon Bailey Snowballs

I woke up this morning  and the sun was shining. Vanilla Cinnamon Bailey Snowballs were not on my mind.   I poured a cup of good strong coffee from Jamaica and thought of the Islands. When I am on vacation, I always add a little Baileys’ to my coffee and so I did.  The kitchen was bright and the sun gave me more energy than usual, and I decided to continue with the Christmas baking.  I always try to make some of my husband’s favourites and he loves snowballs.  Found my regular recipe for snowballs and as I was drinking my coffee with Baileys, a spark went off.  I tweaked granny’s recipe and the results are warming and smooth.

Sometimes you just need something a little sweet and this is the perfect cookie for any time of year.  I make these more at Christmas time, but I do like to take them right out of the freezer any time of year.  They go well with a nice full-bodied red wine by the pool in the summer time. Baileys’ Vanilla Cinnamon liqueur compliments chocolate well, and the oats and coconut soak it all up.  I chose not to roll them in the coconut before placing them on the pan to cool.  If you like that snow like effect, go ahead.  We just had about 4 inches of snow yesterday in Leamington, Ontario and that’s enough for me.

Vanilla Cinnamon Bailey Snowballs

I hope you enjoy the recipe and share it with family and friends.

 

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Vanilla Cinnamon Bailey Snowballs

There are many versions of these no bake cookies, but these have a secret ingredient.  

Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup margarine
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup Bailey's vanilla cinnamon liqueur
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 4 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 4 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 1/2 cups oats
  • extra coconut for rolling

Instructions

  1. 1.  Put the margarine, sugar, liqueur, milk and cocoa powder in a medium size saucepan.

    2.  Bring to a gentle boil and add the peanut butter.  Stir until melted. Turn off the heat. 

    3.  Add the vanilla.

    4.  Stir the cinnamon into the oats.

    5.  Add the oats to the saucepan.  

    6.  Scoop by the teaspoon or tablespoon on pans that covered with wax paper. ( If you wish, now is the time to roll them in extra coconut to give them that snow- covered appearance.)

    7.  Decorate with a whole candied cherry or almond.

    8.  Cool

 

 

 

 

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