Not Your Typical Christmas Cookie: Zucchini Cookies

This is not your typical Christmas cookie.

That's why I love it!

Sure you can make the holiday sugar cookies, or spritz cookies.  I love them all.  My all time favorite was a spritz cookie that my neighbor's mom made in the shape of a tree, colored green, with little sprinkles on top.  We used to get them every year, and I would be looking forward to those soooo much.  More than the fudge, or the other cookies.  I would even try to sneak and take all the trees before the rest of the family got to them!  

But I decided to be a little unconventional this year.  I wanted to go with a nice cakey cookie.  One with a hint of spice, some chocolate, and something healthier....like zucchini.

Just look at those green flecks...how cool!

Do you like zucchini bread?  Love it!  And you know you can't really taste the zucchini.  Same thing with these cookies.  They are smart that way.  Add a little fiber, some vitamins, textures, and moisture and you have one heck of a cookie!  

These are perfect for the holidays or anytime of year.  Especially in summer with a nice bumper crop of zucchini.  So this is a good recipe to keep on hand.  Oh yea, you can also make these a lower carb cookie by using Splenda Blend.  You need to make sure it is the blend (half sugar half Splenda) in order for these to rise well.  Trust me they turn out perfect...you'll see.

So come along with me and be a little "unconventional" this year.  Make some zucchini cookies.  You can thank me later!

Zucchini Cookies

Adapted from Sunset

makes about 3 dozen medium sized cookies 

(freeze any leftovers, they freeze well)

1 cup butter, at room temperature 

1 1/2 cups sugar or Splenda Blend equivalent

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

2 3/4 cups flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.   Stir in zucchini.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.   Add to zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Potato Coins

What do we know about side dishes?

One thing is for sure, we serve lots of them with the holiday feast!  I think Thanksgiving is a prime example of having so many different side dishes to accompany one main entree.  For Christmas I don't go quite that far but I do serve a variety.

Today's recipe is a simple roasted potato side dish.  Perfect as your starch with your meal.  What is unique about this dish is the cut of the potato.  Using a small round white potatoes and cutting them into rounds turns this dish into something fun.  I call them coins!  They kinda look like gold coins when roasted all nice and brown don't you think?  They are cute, and fun to eat.  Plus they taste great as well!

If you are roasting vegetables for your holiday meal throw some of these in as well.  The kids will love the "coins" as well!

Potato Coins
serves 4

1 lb of small white potatoes
olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic powder

1 T thyme, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut potatoes into 1/3" rounds, leaving the skin on.  Place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Sprinkle with chopped thyme.  Spread out potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Cook for about 20 minutes, turning potatoes over half way through the cooking time.  Remove when golden brown and serve.

Christmas Appetizers: Plum and Mascarpone Crostini

A few days ago I brought you a wonderful muffin for your Christmas Breakfast.  Today's goody is going to be a simple yet elegant appetizer to make.

Appetizers are wonderful little tidbits to serve to family and guests at a holiday party, Christmas dinner, or even New Years eve.  They are perfect for keeping hunger at bay while the dinner is being cooked.  Wouldn't it be fun to host a holiday party of all appetizers?  Just an array of small bites?  I often do that for New Years Eve.

MGG is a BIG snacker.  So keeping him from munching on all the food that I'm cooking is a task.  By preparing a few appetizers ahead of time and having them on hand when the snack monster attacks seems to do the trick!  Does anyone else have a snack monster in their house, or am I facing this monster alone??

These Plum and Mascarpone Crostini are super delishhh!  They go together pretty quickly once you re-constitute the plums, and they can be made ahead of time and assembled at the last minute.

What's better than toasted bites of bread, a blend of mascarpone and ricotta cheese, a little arugula, and some dried plums reconstituted in Sherry?  Not much!  This dish is very easy to change depending upon your tastes too.  Use figs, or cherries instead.  The Sherry can be substituted out if your don't want the alcohol, but I must say it's mighty tasty with it!

That's all there is to it!  Simple and elegant, that's what I like during the holiday festivities.  Enjoy!

Plum and Mascarpone Crostini 

8-10 dried plums, chopped
1/3 c Sherry
1 french baguette, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 c mascarpone cheese
1/4 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c arugula leaves
balsamic vinegar for drizzling

In a small saucepan place the chopped plums and the sherry.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Turn heat down to low and allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes until plums have plumped up and the sherry is thick and syrupy.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take the baguette rounds and place them flat on a baking sheet, not touching.  Bake in the oven until toasted, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile combine the mascarpone cheese and the ricotta cheese together in a small bowl and blend to mix.  

To assemble take one bread round and spread some of the cheese mixture on the toasted side.  Top with a leaf of arugula and a small spoon full of the reconstituted plums.  Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.  Serve immediately.