Cherrie Tassies

I was invited to my first Holiday Cookie Exchange and I fretted over which cookies to bring!  I wanted to impress my fellow cookie exchangers and decided it was a bad time to try a new recipe.

I made these for my first Holiday Tea Party many years ago.  They were a huge hit and I do not remember them sticking to the pan.  A Pam and all stickiness was gone!

Cherry Tassies
adapted from BHG recipe

1 1/4 cups butter, softened              1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar             1    tsp almond extract
1 tsp baking powder                        1 egg
1/2 tsp salt                                       2 1/2  cups flour

Preheat oven to 360 F.  In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually, beat in the powdered sugar, the baking powder and salt.  Beat in extracts and egg. Beat in as much of the flour as you can; stir in remaining flour.

Spray a small muffin cup pan with Pam, shape dough into one inch balls and lay each ball into a muffin cup.  Poke each ball gently with your finger and then stick a cherry in the hole.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then carefully pry the tassies out of the cups.  Makes 48 tassies, unless they don’t come out of the pan right, then it makes 10.

Salted Toffee Chocolate Bars

I'm headed to my hometown of Greeley today for a party with two of my oldest friends. They've stuck with me through thick and thin for almost 20 years! When I left this cow town for the big city 11 years ago...I had a bit of a reputation for being a Martha Stewart type.

I can't let them know that I've gotten lazy....or that my Martha Stewart Living Subscription has lapsed.

Luckily...I had this recipe sitting in my in box from several months ago and since iKeith won't let me make desserts anymore, I thought it was perfect!

I'll let you know how everyone liked them and post more pictures later.  So far....I've just licked the pizza cutter and it tastes amazing!

Salted Toffee Chocolate Bars
adapted from Martha Stewart

13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place 13 graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Spread toffee bits and almonds over the graham crackers.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat slightly and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Pour over graham crackers.

Bake until the sugar topping is bubbling for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares. Pull the tin foil out of the pan and let cool completely on the counter or a wire rack. They say that you can store these in an airtight container for up to a week...but I don't think they'll last that long!