Orange Balls

This is the first time I made this. Big shout out to Gina who brought her husband's version into work on Friday. I took the basic recipe and added a slight twist.









Orange Balls

• 1 1/2 12 oz boxes vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• sifted powdered sugar and cocoa (equal amounts of each) for coating

Preparation:

Combine cookie crumbs and 1 cup confectioners' sugar; blend in butter. Stir in orange juice concentrate; add vanilla. Shape mixture into balls about the size of walnuts; shake in food storage bag with sifted powdered sugar and cocoa. Arrange orange balls in single layer on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; store uncovered overnight in refrigerator for best flavor. Makes about 3 dozen.

Optional Variations

Cut back on the orange juice by a few tablespoons and replace with pineapple or coconut flavored rum

Roll balls in coconut instead of powdered sugar/cocoa

Buckeyes!

This one seems to be a holiday favorite. If you're craving it at another time of the year, these can be altered by using white chocolate melting chips and food coloring. We made these over the summer and covered with red tinted white chocolate. Then using some black decorating icing, we decorated them as lady bugs then added half a black jelly bean for the head! The kids had a blast making them and of course eating them!

BUCKEYES

1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened
2 (12-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate

morsels

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla, beating well. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended.

Shape into 3/4 inch balls; place on wax paper lined cookie sheets. Insert a wooden tooth pick into top of each ball. Freeze at least 2 hours.

Place chocolate morsels in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Dip each frozen ball into chocolate, coating three- fourths of ball. Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheets, and chill until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Yield: 9 dozen

Peanut Butter Blossoms

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp baking soda
1 egg

1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup white, gran. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening

48 candy kisses, unwrapped

Combine all ingredients except candy kisses on lowest speed of mixer. Beat until dough is firm. Using rounded teaspoon, form dough into balls and roll balls in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 for 10-12 mins. Top each warm cookie with a chocolate kiss.

The Crowd Favorite: Danish Wedding Cakes

This seems to be the most requested cookie in my arsenal. I have to admit, it's one of my favorites as well. As this is my signature sweet, I can't give away my tricks. But here's the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add flour half cup at a time until dough is smooth. Form dough into balls about 3/4" in diameter. Using your thumb, make a well into the dough. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown. Cool completely and fill wells with icing.

Icing:

Melt 1/2 stick butter with 1/4 cup milk or half and half. Beat in powdered sugar until proper consistency. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and food coloring if desired. *OPTIONAL: add a few drops of mint, orange, cherry, or any other flavoring in place of vanilla*

It's That Time of Year Again....

This is my favorite time of year to bake. I get so excited! This will be my first installment of my Christmas Goodies series. Today's selection:

Corn Flake Holly

Ingredients:

1 Large bag of jumbo marshmallows
Corn Flakes (you'll use about 2/3 of a large box)
1 Stick Butter
1 Small Bottle Green Food Coloring
Red Hots (optional)




In a large pot, melt butter on medium heat. Add food coloring and marshmallows. Stir constantly until marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in corn flakes. Quickly drop on to wax paper.
*Optional: Add red hots in clusters to make "holly berries"*