Cookies..Cookies..and French Dips!

Hello Friends!  As always, I'd like to welcome new followers to our readership.  Hearty welcomes to Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Romania!  Through the miracle that is the Internet we are able to connect with so many people in so many different countries.  As a newbie to the blogger world it never ceases to amaze me that our blog reaches so far and wide.  It's a joy to know that the love of food and family transcends so many different cultures.

Well, we are still working on finishing up our holiday cookie extravaganza of 2012.  This post will cover some of favorite "older" cookie recipes.  By "older" I really mean traditional.  One of the cookies is called an "Empire Biscuit".  It is actually a take on a linzer cookie, but the Scots have their version of it.  Some of my best memories of Christmastime as child involve my Scottish grandmother.  She would make batches and batches of empire biscuits, shortbread and cherry bread.  All of it was always wrapped so beautifully in red and green cellophane and foil,tied with gold ribbon and delivered to all of her loved ones.  While I have always LOVED her shortbread (it was featured in a previous post), my absolute favorite cookies were her empire biscuits.  Two buttery shortbread rounds filled with seedless raspberry jam, and topped with a smear of almond flavored icing and a piece of maraschino cherry.  A bite of one of those cookies was sheer Heaven.  There are multiple steps to this cookie, especially with the assembly.  It's also important to note that the cookie rounds should be fully cooled prior to assembling with the jam and icing.  You want the jam filling and the icing to stay in and on the cookie, not to ooze out.  Also, using the maraschino cherries can be quite messy (red liquid).  A tidier option is to use red and/or green candied cherries.  Just chop into tiny pieces before using.

Here is my recipe as well as the photos as always taken by my husband.

Empire Cookies

Ingredients:

¾ c shortening
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¼ c all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ c seedless raspberry jam
½ tsp almond extract
1 ½ - 2 tsp hot water
Candied cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed of an electric mixer, until creamy.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until well blended.

Chill 1 hour for easy rolling.

Roll out dough, a portion at a time on a lightly floured surface to 1/8” thickness; cut into 2” rounds.

Reroll leftovers and cut more rounds.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.  Cool completely.

Spread jam on half the cookies, top with remaining cookies.

Combine icing sugar, extract and enough hot water to make a thin icing.  Frost top of cookies.

Decorate with small piece of candied cherry.  Store in airtight container.

A few years back I came acrossed a Betty Crocker's Cooky Book from 1963.  I LOVE this cook book!!  It's an old school cookbook with some of the most fabulous cookie recipes.  I've pulled several recipes from the book and they have now become "keepers".  This next recipe is one such find.  The cookies are called "Cooky Candies" and my only guess as to why is because they are dipped in chocolate and topped with whatever sprinkle, jimmie or nut that you so choose.  The cookie is more of a crumbly texture (from the butter and oats).  It also isn't too sweet which is the perfect balance to the chocolate topping.  Since you are forming the dough into different shapes, and using whatever toppings you choose, it appears that there is a lot of "variety" within a batch.  This makes them a great addition to any cookie tray.  The recipe and photos are below:

Cooky Candies

 Ingredients:

1 c butter, softened

¾ c sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 c all purpose flour

¾ tsp salt

½ c rolled oats

½ c semi sweet chocolate chips

¼ c milk

Finely chopped nuts; jimmies; sprinkles; shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cream butter, sugar and vanilla.  Combine sifted flour, salt and rolled oats into the butter mixture.

With fingers, shape teaspoonfuls of dough into rounds, balls, crescents, triangles and bars.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 20-24 minutes, or until golden around the edges.  Allow to cool on sheets for 10 minutes and then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

In a microwave safe, melt chocolate.  Add milk and blend until smooth.  Dip cookies into the chocolate, top side down.  Place on wax paper and sprinkle with variety of toppings; allow chocolate to set. 

Makes apprx. 4 dozen.

Now I realize that I have been bombarding all of you with a plethora (one of my all time fave words by the way) of cookie recipes (and there are still more to come), I thought I'd offer up something to balance all of these sweet treats.  As a working mom and wife I LOVE my slow cooker.  There's nothing better than throwing a few ingredients together in a "pot" and allowing them to cook slowly all day while I'm at work.  In fact..the only thing better is walking in at the end of the work day and smelling what has been cooking all day.  Am I right...or am I right?  This was a recipe that I came acrossed years ago.  It may have been from allrecipes.com, but I honestly do not remember.   Another fanastic thing about the following recipe is that it can be relatively inexpensive to make.  The recipe calls for a 4 pound rump roast.  I usually wait until they go on sale (sometimes you can get them on BOGO).  I typically have the other items on hand (with the exception of the rolls).  This one is a must.  If you are an eater of red meat than you will treasure this recipe.  Remember to hold onto the juice that is in the slow cooker when you remove the roast.  This is the PERFECT au jus!

French Dip

 Ingredients:

4 lb rump roast
1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth
1 (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup
1 (12 oz) can of beer
6 slices of your favorite cheese (I typically use Swiss)
6 French rolls
2 tbsp butter

Directions:

Trim excess fat from rump roast, and place in a slow cooker.  Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer.  Cook on low setting for 7 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Split French rolls, and spread with butter.  Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Slice the meat on a diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Well my friends, that's it for today.  I'm hoping to have another blog post to you soon.  Some of the upcoming posts will cover colorful spritz cookies, venison chili served with jalapeno cheddar skillet cornbread and homemade baked macaroni and cheese (with ham or with lobster).  As always, I hope you all find these recipes and photographs to be inspiring.  I get complete joy from making my favorite recipes and sharing them with all of you.  My mom has often told me that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.  I've come to realize that food can warm ANY person's heart and soul.  Especially when it's made with love.  May all of you have wonderful Adventures in the Kitchen!