Macadamia Butter Cookies

Hello All and Happy Thursday!  Prayers to those that need them!  Most of the world these days.  But this is one of our happy places so we will leave all that out.  I haven't made these jewels, I tell you of today, in quite a while.  One of those recipes that got packed in a folder or something to that affect!  LOL  This particular recipe came from the Cooking Light December 2009 magazine.  And of course this time of the year is perfect for trying new cookies!  At least we are going light, right?  LOL  Better than nothing!  Peace through the holidays for all of you!

Macadamia Butter Cookies

2/3 cup macadamia nuts

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

5.6 oz all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 375°.

2.  Place nuts in a food processor; process until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl once.  Combine macadamia butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium  speed.  Add vanilla and egg; beat well.

3.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, stirring with a whisk.  Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined (mixture will be very thick).  Stir in cranberries.  Chill 10 minutes.

4.  Divide chilled dough into 30 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball.  Place 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.  Lightly press each ball into sugar; place each ball, sugar side up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Gently press the top of each cookie with a fork.  Dip fork in water; gently press the top of each cookie with a fork.  Dip fork in water; gently press top of each cookie again to make a criss cross pattern.  Place 15 cookies on each of 2 baking sheets.

5.  Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, at 375° for 9 minutes or until golden.  Remove cookies from pan; cool on a wire rack.  Repeat procedure with remaining cookies.  Yield: 30 servings (1 cookie)

Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars

With Starbucks' announcement that they plan on starting home delivers, or a coffee club if you will, with their beans I thought a copycat recipe to eat with it would be a good idea!

I'm rather interested to see if having the beans delivered at around $24 per month is a benefit or if waiting for the pre-ground to go on sale in the store is still the better option.

Either way my Asylum runs on coffee!

Credit for this recipe is at the bottom! Make sure you go check out Recipe Girl, they have some great recipes!

cranberry bliss bars
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen bars
Prep Time: 35 min Cook Time: 20 min + cooling time
A white- chocolate cranberry blondies recipe that is very reminiscent of Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars.

Ingredients:
BLONDIE LAYER:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave; stir in brown sugar. Scrape the butter & sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (the batter will be thick).

3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tips:
*If you'd like to add an orange flavor to these bars, add 1 tablespoon grated orange zest to the frosting.

Source: RecipeGirl.com (Adapted slightly from Taste of Home)

Sweet and Savory Meatballs

My hubs' Aunt made these for our family gathering and all of my Residents liked them! I can't wait to try them. I don't have her exact recipe but I found a similar one on the interweb  (hubs is an IT guy and that's what he calls it;).  If or when I get her recipe and permission I will update this!

This recipe comes from sparkpeople.com

Ingredients
3 pounds lean ground beef
2 packages dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs, soaked in 1 1/2 cups water
3 eggs
1 (16-ounce) package refrigerated sauerkraut, drained
1 (16-ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup water

Directions
In mixing bowl combine ground beef, soup mix, prepared bread crumbs and eggs. Mix well and form into 2-inch diameter meat balls. Place in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan
Meanwhile, combine sauerkraut, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar and water in medium sauce pan; bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour sauerkraut mixture over meatballs and bake, uncovered, at 350*F (175*C) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Makes 12 servings.

Do you have a recipe to share with us as well? You can send it to ourasylum@outlook.com