Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's Christmas Eve!

As a kid I was always so excited for Christmas Eve.  There was always a traditional spaghetti dinner and then we always opened our gifts that night.  Christmas morning was all about Santa and his gifts.

It was also the time when mom and I got in the kitchen and made Santa his cookies. We usually made sugar cookies using old copper cookie cutters and sprinkled them with different colored jimmies and sugars.  It was always something I looked forward to each year.  

We would set out a plate of cookies and milk before I went to bed that night and Santa would always take a bite out of a cookie for me to see in the morning.  I love these traditions.

So if you are like our family and wait to make Santa's cookie until Christmas Eve I have a great new cookie for you.

Who doesn't love chocolate?  I know Santa does and I'm sure that chocolate chip cookies are a favorite of his!  This cookie is easy to put together using a little help from Betty Crocker.  The best part is dipping half the cookie in melted chocolate and decorating it with Christmas sprinkles.  So pretty!  Plus, they taste even better. These cookies bake up nice and tender, moist and a little "cakey".  They are the perfect cookie to serve to Santa!

Kitchen Tip:  Make sure to chill your dough for at least 2 hours.  The cookies will bake up much better and will not spread as much if you chill the dough prior to baking.

See how pretty they are?  And they taste even better.  I hope you enjoy these cookies.  I know that Santa will!





Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookies

serves: 16 cookies

1 1 lb 1.5 oz pouch of Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips (optional)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
white jimmies

red sugar

Add cookie mix, butter, and egg to a large bowl.  Stir until completely combined.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Set aside.  Scoop cookie dough using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, or free form with your hands to form 16 cookie balls.   (Optional Step) I placed several dark chocolate chips strategically on top of each cookie.  Place each ball on the prepared pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the cookies among the baking sheets.  I baked 8 cookies per sheet.  Bake 8-12 minutes or until edges are set and golden brown.  Allow to cool 30 minutes.  

Once cookies are cool add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power for 1 minute.  Stir and continue to heat on 50% power in 30 second intervals until completely smooth.  

Dip each cooking halfway into the chocolate using a spoon to assist.  Place the cookies back onto the parchment lined baking tray.  Decorate with white jimmies and red sugar and allow to set up for about 1 1/2 hours.  


adapted from Chocolate Dipped - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Arugula Spinach Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Pecans

The holiday season is here and I'm sure you've been planning some special meals.

I try to make several new dishes each year at Thanksgiving and Christmas to go along with our family favorites to add something new and special to the mix.

This year this salad will be one of the stars.  It's a perfect winter salad that will accompany any choice of meat you are having.  Whether it be turkey, ham or beef, this will be perfect as a starter.  It's also a great choice for vegetarian meals as well, and you can certainly leave out the dairy if you choose.

I love this salad for it's flavor combination of sweet and salty. You have the slightly peppery arugula and the ever steady spinach.  The sweet plump cranberries (reconstituting dried cranberries is easy!) and the salty bite from the feta.  Add more crunch with toasted pecans, and some coolness from some Persian cucumbers and you have one awesome salad!

Now the real treat is in the dressing.  The pomegranate vinegar lends another tart fruity flavor to the salad which goes just perfectly with these simple ingredients.  

Trust me, everyone who has ever eaten this salad has asked for the recipe.  So now I'm sharing it with you!  Hope you serve this at your holiday dinner this year.

Enjoy!




Arugula Spinach Salad with Feta, Cranberries & Pecans

serves 8-10

3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 Tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons pomegranate vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
5 oz baby arugula (1/2 package)
5 oz fresh spinach (1/2 package)
3 Persian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Place the boiling water in a liquid measuring glass, and add the cranberries.  Let them soak for 10 minutes, then drain.

In a small bowl or jar add the orange juice, vinegar, and mustard.  Add the oil and whisk or shake until blended.  Add the parsley to the vinaigrette and stir or shake once more. 
Season with salt & pepper to taste.  

Place the arugula and spinach in a large bowl.  Add the cranberries, cucumbers, pecans, and feta cheese.  Toss with vinaigrette, or serve on the side.  

Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Christmas is coming up and I wanted to bring you a couple of wonderful side dishes that I'll be serving this year.

One of my favorite celebrity cooks is Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.

I have seen her in person at book signings and talks several times, and own several of her cookbooks. I just love her style of cooking.  She takes simple food and makes them fabulous.  Plus, her recipes are so well thought out and accurate that you can't go wrong with them!

A perfect example of taking something simple and making it fabulous is this wonderful side dish of Brussels spouts.  I saw her cooking on the Food Network the other day with Bobby Flay (another favorite) and they were mixing their two styles for a Thanksgiving feast.  Ina threw together this side dish in a matter of minutes on top of the stove.  Who doesn't love cooking something on the stove when all the prime real estate in the oven is taken?  

Back to the recipe...it has 5 ingredients.  Yep! 5 INGREDIENTS of which salt/pepper, oil, and butter are three of them.  This dish couldn't be easier.  But yet, it tasted spectacular!  Shredded Brussels sprouts are sauteed in a skillet in oil and butter, then seasoned and drizzled with a syrupy balsamic vinegar.  That's it!  SIMPLE!  Oh!  and you can make start them the day before.  I love make ahead dishes.  It save you so much time during the main event! (See my Kitchen Tip below.)

Kitchen Tip: MAKE AHEAD IDEA - You can shred the Brussels sprouts a day ahead and place them in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel.

You might be saying "Oh, I don't like Brussels sprouts!"  Well let me tell you, these will convert anybody into a Brussels sprouts lover.

Enjoy!



Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts

source:  Ina Garten via FoodNetwork.com

serves 6


2 (12 ounce) packages Brussels sprouts, ends and brown leaves trimmed
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar

Place the Brussels sprouts in the feed tube of the food processor fitted with a large slicing disc.  (There is no need to core them.)  Process the Brussels sprouts until they're all sliced.

Place the butter and olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan and heat it over medium heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and saute them, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still bright green.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar, season to taste and serve hot.

Cook's Note:  Because you're shredding the Brussels sprouts, there's no need to core them.  Place the shredded Brussels sprouts in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel for up to a day.