Holiday Treats

Here are my favorite goodies recipes this season:
(all found on http://www.allrecipes.com/)

Enjoy!

Whipped Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
red maraschino cherries, quartered

1. Preheat over to 350 F (175 C).
2. In a large bowl, combine butter, flour and icing sugar. With an electric mixer, beat for 10 minutes, until light and fluffy. Spoon onto cookie sheets, spacing cookies two inches apart. Place a piece of maraschino cherry onto the middle of each cookie.
3. Bake for 15-17 minutes in the preheated over, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned. Remove from over and let cool on cookie sheet for five minutes, then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container, seperating each layer with waxed paper.


Bitesize Turtle Candy*
(*this recipe is modified from the original)

pecan halves
individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped and halved
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1-2 teaspoons shortening

1. Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Line baking sheets with wax paper or foil.
2. Place pecan half on cookie sheet and place half of caramel on top. Repeat with remaining nuts and caramels.
3. Place in preheated oven ~5 minutes, until caramel is soft but not fully melted. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes. Flatten caramel a bit with index finger (careful, they are hot!).
4. Melt chocolate chips with shortening in microwave, or in a small saucepan over low heat on stove; stir until smooth. Spoon over candies on sheets. Chill for many hours, until firm.


Swedish Nuts

2 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound nuts (walnuts or pecans are best)
1/2 cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (165 C). Melt butter in 9 x 13" dish by placing in oven.
2. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar, salt, vanilla.
3. Beat until stiff peaks form and turn glossy (about 10 minutes).
4. Fold in nuts and coat well with mixture.
5. Evenly spread coated nuts over butter in pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring and turning nuts every eight minutes or until there is no more butter in the pan.
7. Place hot nuts on foil and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.