Cookie Exchange..........Weekend Edition!!!!

So Sorry for the delay!!!! It has been a crazier than normal week...with being called in to work extra hours and hubby not feeling well..... leading to a trip to the VA this afternoon. Please forgive me for the delayed start to our Cookie Exchange. Let's just make it a weekend of cookie recipes.

Post your recipe in the comments area....and if you blog about it, leave a comment with the link to your post. Monday, I will take all the comments and do a drawing for a fun holiday prize.

The coffee pot is on....the chai tea is ready....and cocoa is in holiday mugs with big dollops of whipped cream....now let's try some great cookies!!!!

Hugs to you all!!!

Debbie

Let me get us started with:

Snowball Cookies...

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, finely ground

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add flour, pecans and salt; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until centers are set. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks; cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Store in tightly covered container at room teperature. 4 dozen

Chocolate Peanut Butter Snowballs

Microwave 1 package of chocolate chips in a large bowl on medium for 2 minutes -- stir until all are melted.
Stir in 1/2 cup of peant butter. Cool. gently stir in 1 tub of cool whip topping. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Scoop truffle like mixture and shape into balls. Roll balls into a coating: powdered sugar, toasted coconut or other favorites.
Store in fridge

Makes 36 snowballs

My All Time Favorite Cookies......
Cream Wafers

1 cup soft butter

1/3 cup whipping cream

2 cups all purpose flour

granulated sugar

creamy filling (recipe below)
*Mix thoroughly butter, cream and flour. Cover and chill. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll about 1/3 of the dough at a time to 1/8" thin on a floured cloth-covered board (keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll). Cut into 1 1/2" circles (or stars).
*Transfer rounds (or stars) with spatula to a piece of waxed paper that is heavily covered with granulated sugar. Turn each round or star so that both sides are coated with sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Prick with fork about 4 times.
*Bake 7 to 9 minutes or just until set but not brown; cool. Put cookies together in pairs with creamy filling. (set point of stars slightly askew).

Creamy Filling

Cream 1/4 cup soft butter or margarine; 3/4 cup confectioners sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Tint wth a few drops of food coloring. (add a few drops of water if necessary for proper spreading consistency)

Last but not least...you need something to go with the cookies. I can't remember where I found this recipe..but it has been such a favorite. We gave jars of this mix as gifts or a couple of years and we still get regular requests for refills!!! (Most of the regular requests come from Zack's college guy friends....)

Chai Tea Mix

1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1 cup French Vanilla flavored powered non-dairy creamer
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
In a large bowl, combine milk powder, non-dairy creamer, vanilla flavored creamer, sugar and instant tea. stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time until mixture is the consistency of fine powder.
To serve: Stir 2 heaping tablespoons Chai tea mixture into a mug of hot water.