Peppermint Melt Away Cookies

I do realize that it is March. Seriously. I do. But I uncovered this holiday recipe booklet from Publix the other day and realized that one of the reasons I saved it was this recipe. (The other reason is a quiche recipe to be shared another day.)

For those of you who don't know, I started this blog to not only share recipes with others but to also be able to find recipes I love more easily. I LOVE my cookbooks. I ADORE my magazines that include wonderful recipes. But finding them later can be a challenge. For me anyway.

So even though it's March, these cookies sound fabulous! Besides, anytime is a good time for peppermint!

 

Peppermint Melt-Away Cookies

Pam Original Canola Spray
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
large zip-top bag
1 cup starlight mints (or candy canes), finely crushed
1 large egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 16.5-oz. box Duncan Hines Class White Cake Mix, divided
1 cup Nestle Premier White Toll House Morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat baking sheets with spray. Cut cream cheese and butter into small pieces; place in large bowl to soften. Crush mints in zip-top bag using metal mallet.

Add egg, vanilla extract, and 1/2 of the cake mix to the cream cheese and butter mixture. Mix with electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Stir in remaining half of cake mix, along with the white chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup of the mints until blended. Place remaining 1/2 cup mints in shallow bowl.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and press tops of dough into mints. Place on baking sheets, mint side up and 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and center is barely set. Let stand 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Lemon Mousse Cheesecake

I found this recipe in the March 2014 Relish magazine insert in today's newspaper. Since I love all things lemon, I had to save it for myself and share it with everyone else.

I love the extra tips Relish includes. One involves creating zest. They used a Microplane zester. I have a nifty zester that I got form either Tupperware or The Pampered Chef years ago. Just be sure not to get into the white of the lemon. That part is bitter. Just get fine bits from the yellow.

Another tip, this one from me, is to make sure the eggs are room temperature. It helps the egg whites form soft peaks.

 

Lemon Mousse Cheesecake

Crust:
5 tablespoons melted butter
40 vanilla wafers, crushed, or 8 graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
3/4 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To prepare crust, combine all ingredients. Stir well and press into a 10-inch springform pan.

Combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add flour, egg yolks, lemon rind and juice; beat until smooth. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar; beat until stiff peeks form. Fold into lemon batter.

Pour batter into crust. Place pan in a large baking pan. Add water to baking pan to a depth of one inch. Bake 55 minutes, until cake is set but still jiggly in the center. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

Serves 20.

Sugar Cookie Sheet

This recipe comes from the March 2014 issue of Ladies' Home Journal. It looks so easy and so good. Can't wait to try it!

The frosting recipe isn't new. I've seen it in various forms for years. It is really, really good and easy to work with. Try tinting the frosting different colors and creating something beautiful and uniquely you!

Sugar Cookie Sheet

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with a strip of parchment, allowing edges to hang over opposite sides. In a large bowl whisk together, flour, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, egg white, sour cream and vanilla and mix until blended. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.

With greased hands, gently press dough into pan. Bake until the edges are lightly golden, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool completely, then frost and decorate. Use the parchment overhang to lift form pan; slice and serve.

Makes 20 bars.

 

Vanilla Frosting

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
food coloring

Beat together butter, confectioners' sugar and milk until fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract and salt. Tint frosting with food coloring.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

This appetizer made its Bouffant Blonde debut at a Sunday School class gathering before Christmas. It wasn't really a supper but it wasn't really a snack event either. This provided a perfect middle ground. It's easy to serve and eat and substantial enough to actually be filling. And it's easy to make. Seriously. Easy.

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

1 can (8-oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8-oz,) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
1/4 cup cooked real bacon pieces or 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If using crescent rolls (which I did): Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12 x 4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut lengthwise into 2 long rectangles. Press each into 12 x 4-inch rectangle.

Spread dressing over each rectangle to edges. Sprinkle each with bacon, cheddar cheese and onions. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 8 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Makes 16 servings.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

I love the combination of peppermint and chocolate. It’s just so festive and luscious. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. If you decide to make the Peppermint Meringues, you’ll find the recipe on this site as well.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cups boiling water
20 mini candy canes
3 8oz. Packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1-lb. box confectioners’ sugar
Peppermint meringues for decorating (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper; spray the paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs and peppermint extract. Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Mix in the boiling water (the batter will be thin).

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, crush the candy canes and make the icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread 1 ¼ cups icing over the top. Top with another layer and 1 ¼ cups icing. Top with the last cake layer. Frost sides and top with the remaining icing. Gently pat the crushed candy canes all over the sides of the cake. Top with meringues (if using).

Makes 16 servings.

Peppermint Meringues

What a wonderful gift these would make! They’d also be great for decorations or just to eat all by themselves. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine.

Peppermint Meringues

2 large egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red gel or paste food coloring

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large metal or glass bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. Set the bowl over (but not in) a saucepan of simmering water and cook. Whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are very warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and, using an electric mixer, beat on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until soft glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Beat in the peppermint.

Transfer 1 tablespoon meringue mixture to a small bowl and tint red. Using a paintbrush or a skewer and the red meringue mixture, paint 3 vertical stripes in a pastry bag fitted with a ¾-inch star pastry tip.

Carefully spook the white egg white mixture into the piping bag, being careful not to smear the red meringue. Pipe small stars (about ¾ inch) onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meringues until just set on the outside, 20 to 30 minutes. Slide the sheets of parchment paper onto wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 9 dozen.

Gingerbread People

This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Cooking Light magazine. It reminds me of the gingerbread cookies my Gran used to make when I was a child. She always made at least one gingerbread man and woman, just for me. Of course, this recipe has way fewer calories and that is always a plus.

Gingerbread People

11 ¼ oz. all-purpose flour (about 2 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup golden cane syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 large egg

Icing
½ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare cookies, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stirring mixture well with a whisk.

Place brown sugar and butter in a bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add can syrup, molasses, and egg; beat 1 minute or until well combined. Add flour mixture, and beat on low speed 1 minute or until just combined. Gently press mixture into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Roll each dough portion to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut with 5-inch cutters to form 26 cookies. (Reroll scraps as necessary.) Place cookies 1 inch apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar and milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Spoon icing into a small zip-top plastic bag. Snip a tiny hole off one corner of the bag. Pipe icing onto cookies as desired.

Makes 26 cookies at 124 calories each.