With Sprinkles on Top

Yep, I’m starting my Valentine’s Day week today instead of tomorrow. I want to squeeze in all the yummies that I can! I made Cherry Icebox Cookies today. I have no idea what they have to do with iceboxes, but so it goes. I clipped this recipe out of a Taste of Home magazine. They are delicious – but then again, I believe that anything that involves maraschino cherries is a good thing. A very good thing. (“Kiddie Cocktails” are still a favorite drink of mine)

Cherry Icebox Cookies
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1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tea. vanilla extract
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tea. baking soda
1/2 tea. ground cinnamon
1/4 tea. cream of tartar
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
4-1/2 tea. lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries (use a food processor for this if you have one!)

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients: gradually add to creamed mixture. Beat in cherry and lemon juices. Stir in nuts and cherries. Shape into four 12-inch rolls and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.

2. Unwrap and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Cool on wire racks.

Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I’m going to post a recipe each day for one week, starting on Monday, that has to do with the holiday o’ love. Valentine’s Day cupcakes, cookies, or just yummies that are red or pink in color. So come back in a few days and check it out!

After Eight Cupcakes
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1-1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tea. baking powder
1 tea. salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup half-and-half
Few drops of mint extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or mini mint chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together; set aside
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and half-and-half. Add a few drops of mint extract to batter and mix well.
4. Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over cupcakes and bake for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and cool.

Mint Butter Cream Frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp, cut into pieces
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
Few drops of mint extract
Green food coloring (optional)

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk and mint extract and mix well. You may want to add more or less milk. Add food coloring if you wish. Spread over cooled cupcakes and set in a cool place until frosting hardens.

Chocolate Ganache:
5 oz. high-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
12 Junior Mints

1. Place chocolate and cream in a double boiler or a microwave and heat until cream is warm to the touch and the chocolate starts to melt. Remove from heat and stir until all of the chocolate has melted and the mixture is homogeneous. Remember – you don’t want to cook the chocolate, just melt it. Cool slightly and drip over cupcakes. Place a Junior Mint on each cupcake.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Recipe credit: “Cupcakes Galore” by Gail Wagman

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cupcakes
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1-2/3 cups flour
2 tea. baking powder
1 tea. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tea. vanilla extract
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 cup crushed sandwich cookies (Oreos)

Frosting Ingredients:
6 oz. good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp
Mini sandwich cookies or crushed cookies for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and half-and-half and beat until batter is smooth. Fold in crushed cookies.
4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.

Frosting:
1. In a microwave or double boiler, melt white chocolate until smooth and creamy, just a few minutes. Should be warm to the touch.
2. Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and beat again until smooth. Use the frosting immediately or it will harden. Decorate with crushed cookies or mini cookies.

Makes 18-20 cupcakes.

Recipe credit: “Cupcakes Galore” by Gail Wagman

Today’s treat: Jumbo 3-Chip Cookies. Recipe credit goes to Nestle Tollhouse (daaaaang, they have some GREAT recipes). And since someone asked, I will share that these cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft/chewy on the inside.

The 50mm made these cookies look like they have a magical, warm, fuzzy aura around them. Which they do… an aura of deliciousness.

Jumbo 3-Chip Cookies
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4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 cups softened butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, baking power, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop 1/4 cup dough onto a cookie sheet and bake 12-14 minutes.