Chili Mango Tassies Holiday Cookies Recipes

GRANDMA'S PECAN TASSIES

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup butter and cream cheese in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add flour gradually, beating at low speed. Shape mixture into 48 balls and place on a baking sheet. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease the cups of a mini-muffin pan. Press 1 chilled dough ball into each cup and shape into a tart shell.
• Whisk brown sugar, eggs, 2 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in 1 1/4 cups pecans. Spoon mixture into tart shells. Top with the remaining pecans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookie shell are delicately brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Gently remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks, about 20 minutes.

HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Set aside.
• Combine butter and 3/4 cup sugar in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed (1 minute). Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Beat until well mixed (1 to 2 minutes). Cover; refrigerate until firm (3 to 4 hours).
• Heat oven to 375°F Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until set.
• Roll in sugar-cinnamon mixture again while warm, if desired.

SWEET & SMOKY CHICKEN STEW (WW CORE FRIENDLY)

Steps:

• Once you start cooking, this dish comes together rather quickly. As such it is best if you do all your cutting and chopping before starting to cook.
• Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet until hot but not smoking.
• Combine the flour salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken cubes in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken in the pan. Reserve unused flour for later. Cook chicken until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pan.
• Apply a scant amount of cooking spray to the pan. Add the red peppers and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the scallions and garlic slices, stir and cook an additional minute.
• Add the carrots and sweet potatoes, stirring in the reserved flour left over from the chicken. Mix in the dry spices (cumin, ginger, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and turmeric).
• Stir in the chicken broth, honey and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through, another 5 minutes or so.
• Stir in the peas and cook through, a minute or two.
• If you like a thicker stew, bring the stew to a boil and swirl in the cornstarch mixed in water at the same time you add in the peas. Cook for a minute.
• Ladle the stew over rice or couscous and serve.

HOLIDAY ALMOND TASSIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Shape into 48 balls. With floured fingers, press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups., For filling, in a large bowl, combine the almond paste, sugar, eggs, orange juice, cream and flour. Fill prepared cups three-fourths full. Sprinkle with almonds. , Bake at 400° until lightly browned, 12-13 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

NORWEGIAN HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine butter, egg yolks and brown sugar with mixer.
• Add flour gradually.
• Form 1 in balls.
• Dip the ball in egg whites and then roll the ball in chopped walnuts.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Create an indentation in the center of the ball and fill it with jam or preserves.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes.

SUPER SHOOTER SPRITZ HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cream sugar and butter.
• Mix in remaining ingredients.
• Place dough in cookie press.
• Press cookikes out onto a COOL cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle with jimmies or colored sugar or place a"red hot" candy or a "mini-M&M" candy in the center of each cookie.
• Watch them closely while baking and don't let them brown.
• Bake about 6-9 minutes, remember, do NOT brown.

BIZCOCHOS (MEXICAN HOLIDAY COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat the lard until creamy.
• Mix the wine or fruit juice with 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon and anise seeds; add to lard and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Add the egg yolks; mixing well.
• Add enough flour to make soft dough; roll out to 1/2-inch thick and cut in desired shapes and place on greased cookie sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes; checking often to prevent burning.
• Mix the remaining 1 cup of sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon; dredge cookies in the cinnamon sugar mixture while still warm.