Suddenly *Not So* Single Journey

Let the baking begin!

Author: thenicknick

Yeah, so Kimberly has never baked cookies before.  And I think I told you about the funny calls I was fielding from her Friday as she purchased ingredients for our cookie party yesterday.  So, I was prepared for it be a long long day.  I wasn’t disappointed.  We baked for just shy of five hours.  I was spent…like the idea of even opening a can of something to eat was too  much work, or even opening the pantry door for that matter.

See, people don’t know how much baking can take out of you, all the ingredients to haul out, measure, mix, and put away.  All the items to wash, many by hand, so that it doesn’t look like a bomb went off in the kitchen.  (And somehow baking always spills over into the dining room.)  And before you know it, you’re neck deep in cookie dough and some kid wants to know when dinner is.  Luckily, if you have been at the baking for a while, you can usually distract them with a cookie.  At least, that’s what I always do.  Have a cookie.

So, this was my trial run on a few new cookie recipes that Jennie gave me.  I was tired of baking the same ones year after year.  Don’t get me wrong, they are the same old recipes because they are tried and true and a fan favorite, but I can only eat so many Hershey kiss cookies, so many M&M cookies, so much fudge.  (Okay, the scratch complaint on the fudge.  We will ALWAYS have fudge.  With God as my witness, there will be fudge!)

But I like to try new things.  Honestly, much of my life is based on that very premise.  And I’ve noticed that if I’m ever in danger of my life getting mundane, I do have a gift for inadvertently spicing it up.  Call it fate conspiring to give me fodder.  Call it Karma kicking my posterior.  Call it destiny…call it what you will.  My life is rarely dull.  Did you hear that?  That’s the sound of nobody trying to contradict that statement.  See?

Well, we found a new favorite cookie.  I will be making it and variations of it for years to come.  I want to die with one in my mouth and three in my belly.  (With that determination, I’m sure there will be plenty still sticking to my thighs…)  Introducing…

Cherry Blossoms

1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter-softened
2 t. maraschino cherry liquid
1/2 t. almond extract
3-4 drops red food coloring
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. maraschino cherries drained and chopped
48 Hershey Kisses

Blend first 5 ingredients.  Add flour and salt.  Stir in cherries.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Make into 1 inch balls place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 min.  Place a Kiss on each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven.

Now, here’s why it took so long to make all the cookies.  They both had to be refrigerated before making.  We followed the directions exactly.  The results were spectacular.  And you should know that the dough was crumbly for the Cherry Blossoms.  Also…here’s the thing…who say’s the kisses have to be milk chocolate?  I’m going to make some with dark chocolate.  Kimberly wants some with white chocolate.  (Yes, I still argued that white chocolate isn’t actually chocolate, but then I realized that it meant more for me so…to each his own.  Mwah ha ha!)

And the second best, my new second favorite, and it’s a close second…

Hidden Kiss Cookies

1 c. softened butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sifted flour
1 c. walnuts (finely chopped)
Hershey Kisses
confectioner’s sugar

On medium speed beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add flour and nuts and beat on low till well blended.  Chill dough in fridge.  For each kiss – take 1 tblsp. dough and shape in a ball around the kiss.  Bake at 375 for 12 minutes or until set (not brown).  Roll in confectioner’s sugar after the cookies have cooled slightly.

Please note, we made ours without nuts and they were still stupid good.  In fact, we both had foodgasms.  Twice.  Mine involved closed eyes and happy eating noises, but hers…well, think more When Harry Met Sally and the diner scene.  You definitely want to have what we were having.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 6:03 am and is filed under recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.