December 19th-Hazelnut Linzers

It is known that in one Bikram Yoga class, you may burn 1000 calories. Hallelujah! This is how I manage my cookie calories. It is a difficult class but worth feeling good in that holiday dress. On this holiday weekend you may be baking sweet treats, throwing or attending a holiday party, or all the above. Prince Charming and I are headed to a big all-out party. I may sneak my camera in to get a few rum punch/yule log photos for you.

Cookies are so cool! The varieties of these tiny cakes are never ending. Austria's most famous dessert, the Linzertorte, is believed to have originated in the City of Linz. The traditional and popular Christmas Linzer cookie employs the same name and dough as the Linzertorte. The dough is cut into cookies and two of them make a sandwich around the preserves. The top of the cookie has a small cutout in its center, thus exposing the sparkling preserves and adding a visual appeal. Traditionally the cookies are circular but hearts and squares are very popular. I filled the cookies with blackberry jam. My good friend picked the wild berries on her land and I made jam out of them. Divine.

This recipe makes a very flavorful Linzer. You can easily find a linzer cookie cutter at your local cooks store. Be sure that your jelly is pureed.

Hazelnut Linzer Cookies with Blackberry Jam

Makes about 36 Sandwiches

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar plus more for decorating

zest of 2 1/2 oranges

zest of 1 1/2 lemons

3 large egg yolks

1 1/4 cups hazelnuts, finely ground in the food processor (about 1 1/2 cups ground)

1 cup blackberry preserves

1. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Beat butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and zest in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Beat in dry ingredients, then add nuts. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disc. Wrap; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

2. Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper. Roll out half of the dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cutter, cut out center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to prepared baking trays. gather dough scraps; chill.

3. Bake cookies until golden, reversing trays after 10 minutes, about 22 minutes total. Cool completely on sheets. Repeat until all the dough is used. Do ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.

4. Arrange cookie rings on work surface. Sift powdered sugar over. Spread 1 teaspoon jam on each cookie rounds. Press rings onto jam rounds.

December 18th-Marley's Dog Bones

Lamb Stifado and Cotes De Rhone! What a combo. Lamb Stifado is a Greek stew which gets marinated over night in red wine, vinegar, cinnamon sticks, and other spices. The next day you brown the lamb, then separately brown pearl onions, add the marinade, and slowly cook for hours. Homemade bread seemed appropriate so honey-wheat bread dough rose close to the wood-stove for a couple hours and next thing you know, a wonderful meal is prepared, with little effort. Cotes De Rhone is a red wine that pairs nice with this dish. When buying lamb, I prefer buying locally raised lamb. We are very lucky in here in Vermont, as we can easily do this. The butcher cut fresh lamb for my Stifado at Healthy Living. A meal that brings back flavors of my childhood.

We have three large dogs. We often describe them as small (Old Scottish bird dog), medium (Australian Shepherd), and large (White Shepherd). I know a lot of you have dogs, so I am sharing a dog treat recipe. 

During the very cold photo shoot outside yesterday they (the dogs) knew I was handling these yummy treats. Anxious and very curious, our furry loved ones looked out the window. Patient or not, the dogs enjoyed the healthy treats. Easy to make, healthy, and will last for weeks.

Marley's Dog Bones

1 cup oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-natural peanut butter

1 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sprinkle a bit of flour over a flat, clean surface, and roll the mixture out over the flour to 3/4inch thick. Use cookie cutters or cut desired shapes; place cookies on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes; flip and bake another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cook on a wire rack. Biscuits are read for your furry companion after completely cooled.

Recipe courtsey of dog-pawprint.com

December 17th-Hazelnut Sandwiches

Lana and Nolan on the Star 92.9FM were so gracious yesterday. We all ate cookies, drank hot beverages, talked about food, and had some memorable laughs. One funny moment was when Nolan spread powdered sugar all over his face and Lana spilled powdered sugar on her black jacket. Yes the Pecan Blizzards can be messy but, they brought us new snow that I took a beautiful walk in. I just love the falling snow flakes.

What can I say? I love these cookies. Seriously, chocolate and apricot jam smothered between thin hazelnut cookies. They require a couple steps but are so worth the effort. How is your holiday baking going? Send me an email and let me know.

Hazelnut Sandwiches

Makes about 30

1 1/2 cups butter (three sticks), room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons brandy

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups ground hazelnuts

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup apricot preserves

In medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder, set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer until softened. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg and brandy. Beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture and hazelnuts alternately, beating until combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pack the dough into a cookie press using a flower or Christmas tree plate. Force the dough through the cookie press onto prepared baking sheets. Or roll into 1 inch balls, place 9 onto baking sheet, spacing well. Cover with wax paper and evenly press down using the bottom of a heavy glass expanding the cookie to three inches. Carefully remove wax paper. Bake 6-8 minutes until edges are firm and the slightest bit golden. Cool cookies on a rack.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Put about 1/2 teaspoon of the melted chocolate between the delicate bottoms of two cookies. Heat apricot jam just to spreading consistency. Use about 1/2 teaspoon of the preserves between the bottoms of the two cookies. Press together and repeat with the rest of the cookies. Set up for 1 hour.

December 16th-Pecan Blizzard Cookies

7:00AM this Wednesday morning, I will be on the Lana and Nolan morning show 92.9FM.

Jump on my press page at chefcontos.com and find a great picture of Charlie, Ernie, and myself from last week's radio show. Next month I will be on the Edible Communities Show on Heritage Radio. Deborah Schapiro did a lovely shout out about my cookie marathon on this past Monday's show. I enjoy streaming this engaging show about our edible community here in Vermont.

Prince charming and I had a wonderful Greek Feast last night. I cooked and cooked some more. Cookies were baked but before that I made hazelnut chocolate chunk banana bread. OMG! So good. This will end up at IBM in Prince Charming's break room. What can I say, I had the bananas and wanted to make use of them. At the end of all this, my baking section of the kitchen looked like a tornado went through. This is all so much fun! You, are what ties this all together. Thank you for following along and sending detailed emails. We are half way! Later this week I am making a gluten-free sweet treat.

Pecan Blizzards are full of flavor. They are buttery like a crescent cookie but coated in mocha confectioner sugar similar to a Mexican wedding cookie.

Pecan Blizzard Cookies

Makes about 32 cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, chopped

Mocha dust:

3/4 cups powdered sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons espresso powder, and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.

Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Mix on low. Stir in pecans. Mix until well combined.

Preheat over to 400. Prepare 1 large baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Form dough into finger shaped rolls, using a scant tablespoon of dough per cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until very lightly browned at the edges. Gently roll the cookies immediately in the mocha dust while still warm. Place on a rack. When cooled pile onto your platter or cookie tins and dust with the rest of the mocha dust.

December 15th-Dark Chocolate Crackles

Greek food is my favorite to cook and eat. Every few months my craving for classic Greek dishes gets so strong that I end up in the kitchen, cooking for hours. It started again today. I prepared the lima beans. The beans cook in water first then when almost tender I strain the beans and add whole san marzano tomatoes, garlic, dill, and tons of olive oil. Then place this in the oven where it will cook for 2-3 hours. Tomorrow I will finish our Tuesday night Greek feast.

These heirloom German cookies are a favorite of mine, whether you call them Crackle or Crinkle this holiday cookie must be in the cookie jar!

Dark Chocolate Crackles

Makes 5 dozen

8 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups all-pupose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon course salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup confectioners sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside, and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in 2 batches alternating with the milk. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

3. Divide each piece into 16 (1-inch) balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 1 minute then transfer to wire racks. Cookies may be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers up to 3 days.

Live on the Radio this Wednesday!

Listen live this Wednesday to the star 92.9FM at 7:00AM. Yours truly will be talking with Lana & Nolan on the morning show on December 16th. I will be traveling with my large German cookie tin filled with COOKIES! You may stream this station...please Click here to listen live.

Thank you all for your emails and following along on this cookie marathon.

December 14th-Sugar Cookies

A Christmas Carol is a wonderful play to see, even when you are grown up. Thanks Prince Charming for a wonderful Sunday evening.

Soft and delicious! You will enjoy this recipe. It is a smaller batch than you normally see with sugar cookies, therefore I find it manageable and easy to work with.

Christmas Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Mix butter and sugar together and beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined. Form into two discs and wrap in plastic wrap, chill for two hours.

Roll out one dough disc at a time, keeping the rest in the refrigerator. Place dough on floured board and roll until 1/8 inch thick. Dip cookie cutters into flour to prevent sticking and cut dough into desired shapes. Bake at 350 in a preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until edges are light brown.

Royal Icing

1/2 pund confectioners sugar

1 large egg white

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a whisk, combine sugar and egg white. Mix on low speed. Mix until icing holds a thick ribbonlike trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the paddle. You may always adjust by adding more sugar or one drop of liquid.

December 13th- Greek Christmas Cookie

Today was a relaxing day. I spent some time working online and then I watched one of my favorite holiday movies "Christmas With The Cranks".

For weeks, stuffed green peppers have been calling to me, so I made a large batch today. Organic green peppers stuffed with rice and local beef. The peppers simmered in homemade San Marzano tomato sauce. I will serve this tonight, we are having company over. After dinner we will head out to see "The Loggers, Holiday Variety Show". Speaking of holiday, my dinner is green and red, how appriocate.

Why is it that anything I make with honey is simply irresistible. It must be the beekeeper and love for honey in me. I cook with honey so much that I post a honey recipe for the Vermont Beekeepers Association members newsletter.

Being a Greek growing up in Chicago meant many days and nights in Greek Town. Once we arrived to this west loop haven, I would sneak over to Athene's Bakery before they closed to pick up a dozen of these fresh made cookies. Melomakarona is a Greek Christmas classic and one dear to my heart. Enjoy!

Melomkarona

Makes 30-35 cookies

1 1/2 cups olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup brandy

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semolina (cream of wheat or farina)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 orange zested

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Syrup:

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups honey

1 cinnamon stick

5 cloves

2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Preheat hoven to 350.

In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment add all the liquid ingredients. Mix on low. Turn off and add the rest of the cookie ingredients. Mix on medium low for 10 minutes (unlike most cookies, you must knead these cookies).

To shape the cookies, take a fistful of dough and make it into a log. Press the dough gently with your fingers on one side to flatten slightly. The traditional shape the cookies is oval.

Place the cookies onto silpat or parchment lined baking trays, place on the middle rack in the oven and bake until browned. About 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets.

While the cookies are in the oven, make the syrup. Place all syrup ingredients in a small pot and heat, until honey and water are incorporated. Turn heat off and let sit. Do not make this to far in advance because you want to dip cooled cookies in warm syrup.

Put about 5 cookies at a time in warm syrup. Using a slotted spoon hold cookies down for 30-45 seconds. Remove from syrup and place on a large platter. Sprinkle generously with walnuts. I like to gently press some of the walnuts on the top of the cookies. Repeat this process until all cookies are finished.

Melomakarona cookies are not refrigerated. Cover with plastic wrap and they will keep for several days or put in tins and they will keep for weeks or months.

December 12th-Grand Marnier Sandwich Cookies

It was real fun being on the Charlie, Ernie, Lisa show yesterday. I never had an introduction that started with the Cookie Monster Song from Sesame Street. Hysterical! Actually, I think they opened with that song for Ernie because every time I looked over he had a different cookie in his hand. Later that day I had a wonderful lunch at Magnolia restaurant in Burlington (the first certified organic restaurant in Burlington), then I went Christmas shopping for Prince Charming and the bird brain (my sister). It's late now, we just got home from a holiday family outing and guess what? We are making cookies.

Dare I say how much we love Grand Marnier. You may notice it in our pictures here and there. When I tasted these cookies I knew this was a very good idea. They have a nick name around here "hamburgler".

Grand Marnier Sandwich Cookies

Makes 36 cookies

Cookies:

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons Grand Marnier

2/3 cup sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

2 tablespoons water

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1. For the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. With an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and Grand Marnier, beat into well combined. Add the flour and salt, mix until incorporated. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls spacing 1 inch apart on baking trays. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, 10-12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for two minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. For the filling: Combine the chocolate, Grand Marnier, and water in a small saucepan, and stir over low heat until smooth, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.

4. Turn half of the cookies over (flat-side up) and spread with about one teaspoon of the filling. Top with another cookie. Let the filling set until semi hardened, about 20 minutes. (The cookies may be stored in an airtight container for 5 days).

December 11th-Cheddar Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

All this sugar had me craving something salty. So either you are throwing a holiday party or attending one. Whatever holiday fun you are up to, these cookies must go along. They may be baked in advance and warmed up slightly before serving, then topped with your jelly. We just loved these. Vermont cheddar is the only way to go when making these cookies. I used a spicy cranberry chutney that I made but you can use any hot pepper jelly or be creative and mix it up.

Every month the Vermont Cheese Council puts out a wonderful newsletter with cheese news, events, and a recipe by yours truly. There's still time to sign up for the December letter. The recipe is a blue cheese cookie! I just had to keep with my cookie theme this month. Click here to learn more.

German cookie tin number two is loaded up with cookies to go to the Charlie and Ernie Show Friday morning at 8:40am on 620AM.

Cheddar Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Makes about 36

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup hot pepper jelly or favorite chutney

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In food processor, pulse together cheddar and butter. The add the egg yolk, parmesan cheese, and pepper; pulse until blended. Add flour; pulse just until soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll into nuts. Place cookies on baking trays one inch apart. With thumb or wine cork make indentation in the center of each. Chill for 15 minutes or until ready to bake.
2. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the cookies on a cooling rack. At this point the cookies may be stored in an airtight container or frozen. Before serving fill indentations with hot pepper jelly. If you have stored the cookies for a time before serving them, you can re-crisp them at 350 for three minutes, then allow to cool and fill with jelly.