FReeper Canteen - Christmas Cookie Exchange - 15 Dec 2011

A respite place for our troops, vets & military families | The Canteen Elves

[AZamericonnie]

Welcome to the

~ Freeper Canteen ~

Christmas Cookie Exchange

To all you wonderful bakers out there......do you have a favorite cookie recipe?

We've made a few to share....

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack. BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
I know this is not a cookie recipe but a staple in our house every year.

Gingerbread & Lemon Curd Trifle W/ Blackberry Sauce

Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Lemon Curd Filling, recipe follows
Blackberry Sauce, recipe follows

Directions
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Spray 1 half-sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; spray paper. Sift flour and next 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Gradually beat in molasses, followed by 1 cup boiling water. Mix in grated lemon peel. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the pan sides. Turn out onto a rack and peel off paper. Cool and cut into 1-inch cubes.

To assemble:
Using a trifle bowl, start with an even layer of gingerbread cubes, top with 1/3 of the lemon curd mixture, and 1/3 of the blackberry sauce. Repeat 2 more times. Top with remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

Lemon Curd Filling:
2 (11-ounce) jars prepared lemon curd
2 cups heavy cream, sweetened with sugar and vanilla, beaten to soft peaks
Place lemon curd in a large bowl. Fold in half of the whipped cream until combined. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Reserve remaining whipped cream for the top of the trifle.

Blackberry Sauce:
2 pints fresh blackberries, or 1 bag frozen blackberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons framboise (raspberry liqueur)Optional
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Place blackberries, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and cook until the berries are soft and the sugar has melted. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer into a bowl. Stir in the framboise and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to use.
Again....not a cookie recipe but sooo very good! If you are in a pinch you can use a box mix for the gingerbread.

Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Shortbread

Ingredients
1 cup husked hazelnuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place hazelnuts on baking sheet. Bake until they're a shade darker and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Lower oven to 325 degrees F.

Place hazelnuts in blender or food processor and pulse to coarse bits; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to blend; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in egg. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the chopped hazelnuts and mix until distributed evenly throughout.

Form into long cookies and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on racks.

In a saucepan over lowest heat or in a double boiler, melt chocolate. Dip 1 end of cooled cookies into melted chocolate. Place back on cookie sheet to harden.

Please share your favorite recipes & maybe you'll find some new ones to try.....and don't forget to leave some out for Santa!

[AZamericonnie]

[AZamericonnie]

Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen
at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.

~Tribute to Our Troops~

[ConorMacNessa]

REQUEST PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD!

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!





BOSTON, (Oct. 21, 2009) Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Philip Gagnon pipes as USS Constitution performs an underway demonstration in honor of the three-masted wooden frigate's 212th birthday. (U.S. Navy photo by Airman Mark Alexander/Released).



Detachment of Marines in 1812 regalia aboard USS Constitution.

OUR TROOPS ROCK!!!!!!!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[HiJinx]

Oooh, we love Pumpkin Rolls!!

[HopeandGlory]

Good morning Troops, Veterans and Canteeners.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our Flag Flying Proudly One Nation Under God

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lord, Please Bless Our Troops, They're fighting for our Freedom.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

God Bless Our Republic

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic, for which it stands;
one nation UNDER GOD,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Prayers going up

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Connie!

[AZamericonnie]

Permission granted & presence requested Conor! *Hugs*

1 Candy Cane

[AZamericonnie]

Aren't they just delish Jinx?

Would Nana smack my hand if I lifted one of them snickerdoodles? LOL

2 Candy Cane

[writer33]

For the troops to enjoy:

Apple Reaches Out To Liberal Asshats

And a satirical poll for the troops:

What Should Santa Leave In The Stockings Of Obama Voters?

[AZamericonnie]

Oh Hope I love that graphic!

Thank you for our pledge, hand over heart & prayers up always! *hugs*

3 Candy Cane

[AZamericonnie]

Mele Kalikimaka Bigs & good to see you! *Hugs*

Do you have a special Christmas confection?

[HiJinx]

Nana is making 60 dozen cookies for a church function on Friday night. This bin has 10 dozen molasses cookies and 10 dozen snickerdoodles.

Classic Molasses Cookies
¾ Cup Shortening
1 Tsp ground cinnamon
1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Tsp ground ginger
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ Tsp ground cloves
¼ cup light molasses
¼ Tsp salt
2 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar for dipping
2 Tsp baking soda

1) Combine shortening and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add egg and molasses, beat until light and fluffy.

2) Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and salt in medium bowl. Beat into shortening mixture at low speed until well blended. Chill 3 hours or overnight.

3) Heat oven to 350^oF. Shape mixture into 1" balls, roll in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

4) Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on rack.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks very much, Connie!

*HUGS*

And thanks very much for tonight's Christmas Cookie Exchange thread!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[AZamericonnie]

What Should Santa Leave In The Stockings Of Obama Voters?

Can't wait to read this one Chris! LOL

Thank you for sharing with the troops & us all....your works are appreciated! *hugs*

[HiJinx]

Not at all, help yourself!
Remember, they’re virtual so they have no calories!

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Christmas Cookie Exchange ~

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[Publius]

BISCOTTI

1/4 lb butter
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp anise seed
3 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour

Melt the butter in a bowl. Add 3 eggs and the vanilla extract, stirring rapidly. Add the sugar and stir. Add the anise seed, baking powder and flour, stirring all the while. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Take the dough and split it in half, putting each half on a cookie sheet. Spread each to the length of the sheet. Take the yolk of one egg, add water, and spread the glaze on the top of each half. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Remove, let cool and cut in a sawing motion using a serrated knife. The slices should be 5/8 inch thick. Put back on the cookie sheets, and bake in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes.

[tioga]

Chocolate Waffles

1/2 cup shortening
7/8 cup sugar (7/8 = 14 tblsps)
1 3/8 cups flour (3/8 = 6 tblsps)
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs, well beaten
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cream shortening, beat in sugar. Add melted chocolate and well beaten eggs. Mix and sift flour, salt and cinnamon, then add to first mixture. Add flavoring.

Drop spoonful on each section of waffle iron and bake for 2 minutes. Use lower heat than for regular waffles. Med, if you have that setting.

These cookies bake up a bit, they are not flat. Frost and decorate for the season. Very tasty!

[AZamericonnie]

Oh I just knew Nana would be baking up a storm. I haven’t had a molasses cookie in ages & love them!

Thanks Jinx & Nana! *hugs*

[AZamericonnie]

My pleasure Conor & has the epidural kicked in yet?