Cookie Swap: What’s your favorite Christmas Cookie? December 20, 2009

I’m joining in on the Christmas Cookie Recipe Swap that Farmer’s Daughter is hosting at her blog.  Why not join in by sharing the recipe of your very favorite Christmas cookie?

Believe me, a virtual recipe swap is way easier than the traditional cookie swap!

My very favorite Christmas Cookie has to be my own Mom’s Snowball recipe.  I made these last night as we were awaiting the first big snowfall of the season.  It just seemed like the right thing to do!

They’re easy, yummy, and they disappear quickly!

Mema’s Snowball Cookies

1 cup margarine

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans, chopped or ground)

1/4 teaspoon salt (I usually leave this out)

(Extra confectioner’s sugar for coating cookies)

Cream together margarine, sugar, vanilla.  Mix in flour and nuts.  Hand form into balls and bake in 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven, roll in a bowl of confectioner’s sugar to coat.

Yum, yum!  Enjoy warm or cold (if they last that long!)

Snowballs Inside, Snowballs Outside! December 23, 2008

As promised, I’m posting some pix of our favorite Snowball Cookies.  As the snow/ice/rain/sleet swirled around outside this weekend, transforming us into a true winter wonderland (or a terrible, slippery/slidy mess–depending on how you look at it!) I finally popped a batch in the oven.

Trouble is, in a few moments, there were . . .

GONE!!!!

Fortunately, I did take my own advice and tripled the batch, so I have more dough in the fridge.  My 3 guys decided they like them best warm and when there were looking for some more last night, I popped another batch in the oven and they were again devoured at breakneck speed.  Problem is, at this rate, there will be NONE for Christmas!  But, they’re enjoying them now!  Hope you do, too!

Christmas Cookie Recipe Swap December 20, 2008

Abbie, my very own, real-life daughter, over at Farmer’s Daughter, is hosting a Christmas Cookie Recipe Swap, so I figured I’d better jump in with our favorites here, even if I haven’t bake a single Christmas cookie so far.  But I plan to this weekend, so does that count?

You know if your recipe cards look like this, they’re surely your family’s favorites:

So, here goes . . .

Our Very Favorite “Snowballs”

Cream together:

• 1 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional–I usually skip this)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but I always include these!)

Roll by hand into small balls.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

While still warm, roll in a small bowl of additional confectioner’s sugar and enjoy!  It’s always a marvel if any are still left by the time they cool off, so you might want to make  multiple batches and hide some for Christmas!

I’ll post a pic as soon as I make them this year (which had better be soon!), but meanwhile I do have a photo of our family’s VERY favorite, all-time special dessert which is requested ALL year long, and especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I actually made this last night for my father-in-law’s birthday!

Alfie’s Famous Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1-3/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter or margine, melted

Thoroughly mix ingredients for crust.  Press on bottom and sides of 9-in. springform pan. 

Filling:

• 3 well beaten eggs
• 2  8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup cugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt (again, I usually skip this)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 3 cups dairy sour cream

Mix cream cheese and sugar (easiest with an electric mixer).  Add eggs, salt, vanilla and almond extract.  Beat until smooth.  Blend in sour cream.  Pour into crumb crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 40-45 minutes (or longer or just until set).  (Sometimes I leave it in the oven with the heat turned off for 15-30 mins. after the initial baking time, to get it set.)  Chill thoroughly, about 4-5 hours, before serving. (Important–although most baked treats are best warm–cheesecake isn’t!)

Top with your favorite topping . . . we like fresh raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.  If using fresh fruit, I usually skim the top of the chilled cheesecake with a thin layer of sour cream and then place the fruit in a pattern of choice.  I was unable to get raspberries yesterday, so used blackberries instead, which everyone loved.

Some people may want to top with a canned pie filling (such as cherry, which I personally detest!), but use whatever will please you and your family!

OK, so there’s a story behind this favorite cheesecake.  It’s named “Alfie’s,” which is a nickname for my dear husband who ONCE made this recipe, to my knowledge.  Seems that my DH took a culinary class way back in high school and concocted this favorite dessert.  I’ve only know him to make it once–for my high school graduation and we won’t even say how long ago that was–but everyone has made it in the family ever since crediting my DH –and our children’s incredible Dad– for this invention.

Hope your family enjoys it, too!