Search Results for: blog spicy black pepper cookies

Tasty Traditions – Cookies and Family History

No matter what holiday your family is celebrating this time of year, one thing is probably a given. There are likely to be many sweet treats on your table that are not usually there throughout the year. Did you know that if you have European ancestors, they may have started baking Christmas cookies as far back in time as the 1500’s? Sweet treats have long been associated with celebrations throughout the year, as the ingredients used to make them like sugar and spices were too expensive for most people to have on hand all year long. The array of cookies, … Continue reading →

Cookies for Breakfast

Come on… admit it… you’ve done it once in your life… downed a few cookies during the first meal of the day. Eggs, bacon… and cookies. No? It’s not exactly the breakfast of champions, but what about bacon and eggs in your cookies? I’m not kidding. I’ve baked more cookies this month alone than I have all year and every person I’ve seen on a regular basis knows this as they have been forced to hear me lament about my kitchen failures, and likewise rejoice (and share) in my cooking successes. Last week when I was kvetching about being up … Continue reading →

Spiced Up Christmas Cookies

In a previous blog I mentioned that everyday spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, contain tiny amounts of vitamins, minerals and potent antioxidants that can help reduce heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Since then I have been trying to find additional seasonal recipes, which feature beneficial spices. Valorie has been kind enough to allow me to share the litany of Christmas cookie recipes I’ve experimented with (or enjoyed via others) this holiday season. The following cookies were included in a Christmas tin I just received from a former colleague of mine. It took me a couple of days but … Continue reading →

Low-Fat Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookies are the perfect way to end a festive meal, but after Saturday’s cookie-a-thon I really don’t have the desire to consume anymore of the sweet morsels until next year. I also don’t have the desire to get on a scale (and don’t plan to) until well after the holidays are over. If you are reluctant to undertake holiday baking because you are concerned that you will inhale the fruits of your labor before they make it to their final destinations I offer you the following recipes. They prove there’s no reason to eliminate Christmas cookies from the holiday … Continue reading →

Carob Christmas Cookies

The holidays can be a cruel time of the year for my best friend Lisa. She is one of the millions of people who cannot eat chocolate. (Yes, they do exist.) In Lisa’s case chocolate triggers incapacitating migraines. Others avoid the sweet treat due to allergies or they are forced to avoid the milk or the caffeine found in chocolate. For Lisa (and people like her) the word carob is an important part of her vocabulary. Carob is a substitute for chocolate that’s higher in natural sugar, lower in fat and is caffeine-free. It comes from the dried pulp of … Continue reading →

Chinese Tea Cookies

I ran in to my neighbor while I was getting my mail today and she was only too happy to inform me that not only were all of her Christmas decorations up, but she had just completed the last of her holiday baking. I managed to smile and congratulate her on her incredible organizational skills. Then I wryly remarked that I would be expecting my cookie tin by the end of the week. Meanwhile, I was secretly wondering who in the world completes their Christmas baking before the end of November. Good grief! It took me nearly a week to … Continue reading →

Hawaiian Style Christmas Cookies

A week ago today I was braving the crowds at the grocery store in order to get the ingredients I needed for our Thanksgiving feast. Today, I’ll be back at it again. This time to gather the ingredients for all the Christmas cookies I plan to bake in the weeks to come. Weeks… Who am I kidding? Our first round of Christmas parties starts on Saturday, December 1st. My friend and former colleague is hosting a Christmas party in her newly renovated home and I want to get a few batches of her favorite cookies done in time to take … Continue reading →

Spicy Black Pepper Cookies

I almost feel as if I should put a question mark at the end of that title as if it were a whole sentence. Martha Stewart adds cayenne pepper to many of her sweet desserts that feature cinnamon to give it that ‘kick’ so when the recipe for these black pepper cookies came across my desk I wasn’t as skeptical as you’d think. I’m no Martha, but I figure if she can do it, so can I! I like bringing these to a cookie exchange. No one ever believes that they have black pepper in them. But if you try … Continue reading →

Simple Brunch Recipes

Many families typically “do” brunch on Sundays only. But recent studies show that since the economy took a nosedive, brunch has become a popular midweek meal. Experts maintain that the mid-morning meal eliminates the need to serve both breakfast and lunch and the type of foods served at brunch are relatively inexpensive to prepare. With that said I’ve decided to share some of my favorite brunch recipes. They are a cinch to make and can be doubled or tripled to accommodate large groups. EASY QUICHE LORRAINE Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) pie crust, partially baked in a pie plate 8 slices bacon, … Continue reading →

Simple and Affordable Edible Holiday Gifts

I know. I know. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but I can’t help myself. When I noticed that my local market was having a sale on fresh cranberries I instantly thought of all of the homemade gifts I could make with them. I plan to stock up on the tart berries and make a few jars worth of Honey Cranberry Butter to give away as holiday gifts. For me holiday gift giving begins this month. After all, who goes to a person’s house on Thanksgiving without taking a hostess gift? The following recipes are some of my favorite edible gifts. … Continue reading →