{Cornflake Biscuits}

Recipe #1

* 3 tbsp yogurt
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 3 cups flour
* 250g butter
* 1 cup cornflakes, crumbled
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 egg yolk, beaten

Preheat the oven at 180C.

Make a mixture from yogurt, olive oil, salt and chili powder. You can decrease or increase the amount of chili acording to your taste.

Make a hard dough by combining flour, butter, cornflakes and baking powder with the yogurt mixture.

Take small balls from the dough and roll them out on the counter. Cut them with cookie cutters.

Lay the baking sheet in an oven tray and place the biscuits on it. Then spread egg yolk on each.

Cook them for 25 minutes and then let them cool on wire rack.
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Recipe #2

The recipe doubles and triples very well. These were made teaspoon-size, but if you like big cookies you can make them larger.

(Serves 24 cookies)

* 4.5 ounces butter at room temperature
* 3.6 ounces sugar
* 1 whole egg at room temperature, lightly beaten
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1 cup fresh walnuts, cut in small pieces
* 1 cup cornflakes
* 3 cups cornflakes to roll biscuits
* 1 pinch salt

1. Beat the butter with the sugar until white and fluffy.

2. Add the lightly beaten egg and beat until very well incorporated and batter is very fluffy.

3. Sift the flour with the salt and add to the batter. Beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom.

4. Add 1 cup of walnuts and 1 cup of cornflakes and beat just until mixed, to divide the ingredients in the dough. Scrape down the sides, make into a ball and chill for 20 minutes.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F with rack 1 shelf up from middle. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

6. In a large bowl add 2 cups cornflakes and lightly press on them just to break the bigger flakes.

7. With 2 teaspoons, make little balls of dough and put in the cornflakes. Roll them around to stick the cornflakes to the dough. Put them on the baking tray, seperating them about 1 inch from each other.

8. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes and then lower the rack to the middle and continue baking until they are golden and crispy.

9. Allow them to cool on the baking tray and store in an airtight jar.

{Pistachio Walnut Cake}

Preheat over to 350. Combine 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 package instand pistachio jello pudding, 4 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 16 ounce container of sour cream. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Pour 1/2 the batter into a greased 10" bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/2 the sugar/cinnamon/walnut mix. Pour the remaining batter and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture on top. Bake at 350 for an hour or until center browns and springs back when lighly touched. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from bundt pan. Enjoy!!

{New Year's Almond Butter Cake}

New Year's Almond Butter Cake


Ingredients:

* 3 cup - Cake Flour (sifted)
* 3 tsp - Baking Powder
* ½ tsp - Salt
* ¾ cup - Butter or shortening
* 1 ½ cup - Sugar
* 3 - Eggs
* ½ cup - Almonds (finely chopped)
* ½ cup - Raisins (finely cut)
* 1 cup - Milk
* 1 tsp - Vanilla
* Lemon Butter Frosting
* Things to decorate with

Method:

Sift flour once.

Add baking powder and salt to it and sift together thrice.

Cream butter thoroughly while adding sugar gradually until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly.

Add nuts and raisins and beat well.

Add flour, alternately with small amount of milk, beating after each addition until smooth.

Add vanilla.

Bake in two greased 9-inch layer pans at 375 oF for 25 minutes.

Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Optional: (choose between a Christmas or New Year's theme!)

Decorate top of cake with wreath of holly, maraschino cherries or red cinnamon candies can be used as berries and slices of angelica or citron can be used as leaves and stems.

Alternatively, decorate with poinsettias made of candied cherries. Slice cherries in rings, cut rings in half, and arrange to form petals of poinsettias.

{Festive Holiday Recipe}

This is a yummy holiday recipe that my dear friend Cathy posted on another board.

Saving it here, so that I can be sure to try!

Cranberry and Pistachio Shortbread

Ingredients:

*  2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp kosher salt
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
* 1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Directions:

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 - 2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the chopped pistachios and dried cranberries. (Make sure that the nuts and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.)

Divide the dough in half. Place each half of dough on the center of a 14 inch (35 cm) length of parchment or wax paper. Smooth and shape the dough into an evenly shaped rectangle that is about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Then thoroughly wrap the shaped logs in the parchment or wax paper, twists the ends of the paper to seal the logs, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, or up to three days. (The logs can also be frozen for about two months. If freezing, it is best to defrost the logs in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a thin bladed knife, slice the logs into 1/4 to 1/2 inch (.5 to 1 cm) thick cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 48 shortbread cookies.

(Source: Cathy, SBB)

{On The 2nd Day Of Christmas...}

Turtle Dove Bars

(Makes about 36)

Ingredients

For the crust:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup pecan halves

For the filling:

* 2/3 cup butter
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup butterscotch-flavored chips
* 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

2. To make the crust, combine all ingredients except the pecans in a large mixer bowl and beat until well mixed and particles are fine. Press into the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the crust.

3. To make the filling, combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 242 F or a small amount of the mixture dropped into ice water forms a firm ball. Immediately pour over pecans and crust.

4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until entire caramel layer is bubbly. Immediately sprinkle with butterscotch and chocolate chips. Allow to melt slightly (3 to 5 minutes). Swirl chips leaving some whole for a marbled effect.

5. Cool completely and cut into bars.

(source - christmascookies.com)

{On The 1st Day Of Christmas...}

Partridge in a Pear Tree Pie

Delight guests and have a partridge in a pear tree make an appearance on your holiday table! The crimson cranberry filling makes this a fitting Christmas pie.

6-8 Servings

Prep: 30 min. + cooling
Bake: 40 min.

Ingredients

* 1 can (15 ounces) pear halves, drained
* 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
* 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* Pastry of double-crust pie (9 inches)
* Additional sugar, optional

Directions

•Set aside five pear halves; chop any remaining pears. In a large saucepan, combine the chopped pears, cranberries, pineapple and sugar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until some cranberries have popped. Cool for 30 minutes, stirring several times. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and cinnamon. Stir in
cooled cranberry mixture.

•Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim and flute edges. Spoon cranberry mixture into pastry shell; arrange pear halves on top. Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and crust is golden brown (cover edges with foil for last 15 minutes of baking if necessary). Cool on wire rack.

•Roll remaining pastry. Using cookie cutters, cut out small leaves, small pears and a partridge. Place on an ungreased baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or
until golden brown. Place partridge in center of pie with leaves and pears around it.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

(Source: Taste Of Home)