Eggnog Creme

Have you ever had Eggnog leftover ? Didn't know what to do with it?
This recipe will make ya want to go out and get some eggnog to make it!
Last night, I was rummaging through the pantry to think of something to make as a quick dessert.
A nice dessert for company. I had leftover Eggnog and some heavy whipping cream...I thought about just warming some Eggnog and add it to some coffee and top it with whipped cream. That just didn't seem like "Dessert". What could I do as something more substantial? Something that looks and feels like dessert?
Ok, I have chocolate chips... and heavy cream...I could make pudding. I go to the fridge and hmmph...not enough cream to make 4 servings of pudding. Grrrrr...Wait Eggnog! Eggnog Pudding?? Never had it.
I wonder.....So guess what. I did it!! Made some Eggnog "Pudding". Added some sugar on top to "brulee" and Voila!!! A real Dessert!  This is my point all the time. You can always do something. It just takes a little thinking or a resource like me who shares these moments so you can pull this stuff out of your bag of tricks when you need to!
*By the way...I now have a "print" button at the bottom of my recipes so you can have these at your fingertips at all times :)
Here ya go!!

____________________________Eggnog Creme Recipe

Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I am absolutely enamored with a cookie. My favorite cookie of this Season of Cookies so far is this one! 

One would think "How could a Fresh Homemade Oatmeal Cookie get better"? Well It has...

Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup Butter (room temp)

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup White Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Clove

1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Salt

3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 1/2 Cups Raisins

**Dried Cranberries,

 Apricots or Chopped Dates can be substituted for Raisins

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line Baking Sheets with Parchment Paper

Cream together Butter and Sugars.

Add Eggs & Vanilla. Combine.

Beat well until light and fluffy.

Add Dry ingredients.

Stir in Fruit of choice.

Spoon out a Tbsp of dough per cookie, onto lined baking sheet.

Dough is dense so doesn't spread much.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.

When you take them out of the oven they will be soft.

Move them to a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

Keep in a sealed container.

** Note:

 If cookies start to become hard, keep a piece of apple in container with cookies, this will keep them soft :)

Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Cookies

In a Small bowl pour 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Place in microwave for 15 seconds. Remove bowl, and stir chocolate.

Keep doing that at 10 second intervals until chocolate is melted.

Dip half cookie into chocolate. Let set on parchment until chocolate is set-up.

Enjoy!

I especially love these oatmeal cookies with chopped apricots and chocolate covering! Yum!!

Good Old Fashioned Dandy Cookies

I love a Sweet Simple little bite of a cookie, that just gives a nod to the days of old. My Grandmother used to love a "plain" cookie to go with tea. I have to agree in this case. The brown little edges, the sweet little bite the freshness of the citrus..It is just a perfect little nosh with a nice hot cup of Tea! I know you'll enjoy these!

The Good Old Fashioned Dandy Cookie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Flour (sifted)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 cup of Butter (2 sticks) room temp

1 cup of Sugar
(cane would be great here, but can use white)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Line Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper

Sift together in a Medium Mixing Bowl the Flour and Salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, Cream together the Butter and Sugar.

Combine until light in color and fluffy.

Add Eggs, one at a time.

Beat only until combined.

Fold in Lemon and Vanilla.

Slowly add Dry ingredients, a little at a time so not to lose consistency.

May fold it in or use beater on "Low".

Be gentle.

Place dough in fridge for 15 minutes.

Spoon by teaspoonful onto parchment.

This dough spreads when baking. Leave room for spreading.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. 

You will know they are done when the edges turn a nice golden brown.
**For a more golden brown, don't use parchment. They won't stick there's lots of butter in them.

Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Store in sealed container for up to a week.

**These make sweet gifts when enclosed in cello bags and wrapped with a seasonal ribbon!

**For purposes of full disclosure.
*I personally substitute orange juice and a 1 tsp orange zest for the "lemon" in this recipe.
It's just my personal preference. You can try them either way. :)
*I also put the dough into a pastry bag and pipe out onto the parchment for a more elegant appearance.

ENJOY!!!

A Simple Rugelach ...

The very first time I decided to make such a traditional cookie I was terrified. Rugelach is intimidating. So many layers so many ingredients. I was afraid if I missed something the whole cookie would be ruined.

Rugelach is a fantastic flaky, pastry-like cookie with a fruit and nut filling . They take very well to different fillings (such as Nutella and chopped almonds) but don't let the experts know I said it  hehehehe

I so hope you enjoy these! They are fantastic for the Holiday table among all of those decadent, chocolatey notions. Great with Christmas Morning Coffee!

My Simple Rugelach

Ingredients for Pastry:

2 1/4 cups Flour

1 tablespoon Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Cup Butter (2 sticks; cold, diced into pieces)

8 oz Cream Cheese

2 Tbsp Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt

(I use Sour Cream)

Ingredients for Filling:

1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Chopped Almonds

1 Cup Apricot Preserves

2/3 Cup Raisins (I use Golden)

**Note Dried Cranberries and Walnuts may be exchanged here. Works really well!

*Also with the Cranberry choice may add 1 tbsp of Orange Zest :) Yum!

With all of the Dried fruit and Preserve choices these can be so versatile. It's all up to you!

2 Beaten Egg Yolks for Egg Wash

Instructions:

For the Pastry: In a Mixing Bowl or (Food processor) Combine Flour, Salt and Sugar. Add the butter and combine until the mixture turns to a pea size consistency. Add the cream cheese and sour cream. Work together until it comes together as a "dough". Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a ball. Portion the dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile Prepare Filling: In a mixing bowl (or food processor), place nuts, preserves, fruit and salt and mix until well combined. (If using a food processor pulse until becomes paste-like)

Assembly:

Remove dough from freezer. Place 3 portions into refrigerator and one to floured work surface.

Roll out dough to a 6 x 14 inch rectangle. (will be about 1/4 inch thick) *Don't be worried about "rough" edges they will roll inside the rugelach.

Spread 1/4 of the filling over the dough with a small spatula or spoon.

Starting with the "long side",  roll the dough up tightly into a "cylinder" ending with the seam at the bottom.

Press the top a little to flatten..

Wrap cylinder in plastic wrap and freeze for another 15 minutes.

Repeat process with remaining dough. (The cylinders can be kept frozen for up to 1 month)

Preheat Oven to 375°

Line 2 Baking Sheets with Parchment Paper

Slice Cylinders into 1 1/2 inch pieces (they should look like little rectangles if you flattened the dough a little)

Place each slice onto parchment lined baking sheets seam side down.

Whisk 2 egg yolks together add 1 tsp water or milk.

Use this mixture to glaze over top of each slice, then Sprinkle with sugar if desired.

Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy at top.

Remove from oven, cool on rack.

Serve.

Store in Sealed container.

Keep well for about 1 - 1/2 weeks if they last that long :)