Cookie Day, Part 2

Good Morning!  I promised you all a follow up post about cookie day and here it is.  I'm not going to spend much time telling you what a great family tradition this is, because I have some great recipes to share.  But, it is a great day filled with time to catch up with the ones you love and get all of your Christmas baking done at once.  I really love the fact that we have such a large variety on the plate when we deliver them to our friends and neighbors.  My Mom is always the hostess, and each of us three girls brings ingredients for two types of cookies; meaning we end up with a minimum of eight kinds of cookies!
We usually do all of our all time favorites, and then sneak in some that may not be quite as fancy as Christmas cookies, but they are ones that everyone likes.  For example we did Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip; easy and quick to get through our baking lines, these are the ones that I really enjoy!  My Mom and sister, Kelly, both had different takes on a cookie that had craisins and white chocolate in them, and they are both delicious.  Hopefully they will keep those recipes for next year.

One of the funnest things for the kids this year was an idea Kelly brought to the table (I just kill myself-ha!), she brought the small pretzels and three kinds of candies (rolos, m&m's and kisses), the kids put one piece of chocolate (either rolo or kiss) on each pretzel and put it in the oven for just a couple of minutes.  Remove and place an m&m on top of each kiss and a pecan on top of the rolos.  These are really cute, taste great and the kids did a great job with them and felt like they were really contributing to Cookie Day, which they were; these were a great filler for the plates of cookies.  So, without further ado, I'll get to my very favorite recipes:

Peanut Blossoms
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1.2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Cream together the butter and peanut butter, add sugars and mix.  Add egg and vanilla and mix again.  Blend into mixed dry ingredients until combined.  Shape into balls and roll in sugar.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375* for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and place a kiss or star in center and press down just until the cookie cracks.  Bake another 2 or 3 minutes until edges of cookies are brown.  Makes 3 dozen.

Meltaway Dreams (I think this is the entire family's favorite!)
1 cube softened butter
1 cube softened margarine (do not melt)
1/3 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. corn starch
1 c. flour
Frosting
1 small package cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, margarine and sugar.  Add rest of ingredients one at a time, and blend well.  Drop from teaspoon on to greased cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Bake at 350* for 10 to 15 minutes on top shelf of oven.  To make frosting: sift sugar into cheese a little at a time, add vanilla.  We use food coloring for red and green and put the frosting in a bag, clip the corner and go for it!  Makes 50-60 small cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip

1 3/4 c. oil

2 cups sugar

1 16 0z. can pumpkin (My Mom already had pumpkin, or I would have used my frozen, but if you do, bring down the moist ingredients a bit and add extra spices!

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. salt

1 bag chocolate chips

Cream oil and sugar.  Add pumpkin eggs, and vanilla, beat well.  Stir together dry ingredients and add to batter.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop in rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes.  Cool on rack.  Makes 7 dozen.

So, go make some cookies while you're making your miracle today!