While some people look forward to the roasted turkey, honey glazed ham and Christmas goose, the rest of us choose sweet over savory when it comes to the holidays. Nothing says winter like fresh-baked cookies and pies to warm your heart.
Enjoy some of our favorite recipes to put on the holiday table this time of year. You and your guests will love these sweet treats.
Walnut Patties
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup softened butter
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla
⅔ cup flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Then, fold in flour and walnuts.
3. Scoop a teaspoon of dough onto a greased cookie sheet 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe by Gayle Wenchell
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Italian Cheesecake
3 eggs
½ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 lb whole milk ricotta
1 pie shell
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix eggs, sugar and vanilla together with mixer. Add ricotta and mix well.
3. Pour into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Recipe by Lisa Burke
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Grandma Fauci’s Venetian Cookies
12 oz almond paste
3½ sticks butter
1¼ cups sugar
5 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1¼ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp salt
2½ cups flour
18 oz jar pf apricot preserves
10 drops of green food coloring
8 drops of red food coloring
Baker’s chocolate or chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease three trays similar in size. Break up almond paste in large bowl. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat with mixer for five minutes.
3. Beat in flour and salt. Beat egg whites until stiff in small bowl. Stir into mixture.
4. Divide dough into three equal parts, then color, red and green, leaving white, and spread onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
5. Remove from pans when cooled and place in large pan with the green layer first. Spread preserves over green layer, then slide white layer on top with preserves. Put red on top. Cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with something heavy. Cool in refrigerator.
6. Melt chocolate over hot water. Spread over top layer of cookies. After it has cooled and hardened, flip cookie over and repeat with bottom layer.
7. Cut into one-inch slices and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Jennifer Fauci
