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Monday, December 23, 2024

CHRISTMAS SIMMER POT

Last year a friend gifted me a simmer pot and I absolutely loved it!  I was able to get three full days of some of the most joyful scents of the season spreading throughout my house.  So naturally since I enjoyed this gift so much, I wanted to pass it along to my own family members this year (oh, and of course I made another for myself).  

If you're totally unfamiliar with this concept.  I'm going to take you through the steps for those that I created.  The concept is to create either a gift bag or mason jar full of items that blend together when simmered on a stovetop (or crockpot) to bring to mind the scents of the holiday season.  

I chose to use fresh cranberries, and rosemary.  I dried in the oven orange, apple and lemon slices.  Then for my spice mixture, I chose cinnamon sticks, star anise and whole cloves.   The concept with the spices is to choose the natural form versus the ground versions that we all have on our spice shelf.  Wy? Because they're so pretty in their natural state, they're more robust, and you won't leave behind the powdery remnants in the container.  

I also opted to make card labels for the outside to familiarize my gift recipient of what they were receiving and how they could enjoy it.  

Since I have a Silhouette machine, I put together a festive card using it.  You could certainly handwrite the instructions or simply print out a "word" document as well.  Let your creativity be your guide. 
  
To the left is my finished product.  I chose a seasonal gift bag for one of my recipients, and for the other whose gift was being mailed, I chose a mason jar to ensure a little extra protection during shipping (forgot to get a picture before I sent it off).  

Just to get you creative juices simmering (pun intended).....this doesn't just have to be a holiday gift.  Depending on the ingredients you choose to use, you could easily enjoy a simmer pot for other occasions as well.  For instance, dried citrus fruits with a vanilla bean and thyme.    And of course, you don't necessarily have to dry your fruit.  I did that because of the gift I was shipping to my Mother- in-Law (I didn't want to send perishable items) and then used the remainder for my Daughter's and mine.

I had as much fun putting these together for others as I do enjoying my own.  I hope you do as well!



Saturday, December 21, 2024

LINZER COOKIES

 I have a solid annual repertoire of Christmas cookies that I bake, but I've always loved the look of the Linzer cookie for the holidays.  They just look so festive to me, so I thought I'd try my hand at them.  

The Linzer is a classic Austrian sandwich cookie, with a raspberry jam filling.  The tops are dusted with powdered sugar.  Naturally, when I spotted a snowflake cookie cutter, I thought that would be so cute as a Linzer cookie.....Well......

Below is a picture of the classic Linzer cookie that is most common.  Either a plain or crimped circle with an interior circle/heart/star cutout so that you can see the raspberry jam inside.  

I learned there's a reason for the simple shape. First, the snowflakes aren't going to all be the same with the process of cutting, transferring to the cookie sheet and baking....so, when you go to stack them, they won't perfectly align.  Not the end of the world....but the second complication is the step after baking, when you're spreading the jam.  Trying to get just enough, but not too much jam all the way down the legs of the stars.  It took some of the fun out of the process.  

The flavor however, is lovely.  You'll find all different recipes out there.  I'll share the one that I used.  


Icebox Cookie Dough

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at room temp
1 cup powder sugar, sifted
1 large egg, at room temp
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ tsp. salt

seedless raspberry jam 


DIRECTIONS:

Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the egg, and extracts to blend.  Slowly incorporate the flour and salt until the dough comes together. 

Shape the dough into 2 discs and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling.

Knead the first disc of dough and soften it a little and then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to just about ¼ inch thick.  Use a 2 inch cookie cutter to cut out as many circles as you can.  Use a small circle, or even a pastry tip to cut a hole in the center of half of the cookies.  Arrange the cookies with a hole on one tray and the cookies without on a second tray, leaving one inch between them.  Repeat with the second disc and any remaining scraps of dough.  

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes (keep an eye on the cookies with the hole-they may take a minute less to bake) until they just start to show signs of coloring on the edges.  Cool the cookies before assembling.  

Dust the cookies with the holes generously with powder sugar before assembling.  Spread a little jam on the bottom of the cookie without a hold and sandwich it with a dusted one....press lightly.

Will I make these again?  Absolutely.  But before I do, I'm going to get myself a crimped circle cookie cutter.  

Enjoy!