Happy Almost Weekend!

Hey all. It seems like it has been a busy busy week. We are almost to the weekend. 

Here are two(easy) holiday recipe ideas to make it really seem like the most wonderful time of the year.

Russian Tea Cake Cookies (Betty Crocker)
This recipe is so easy and they are always the favorite of the cookie platter. Add different extracts (almond, orange) to change the flavor.

1	cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2	cup powdered sugar
1	teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4	cup finely chopped nuts
1/4	teaspoon salt
	Powdered sugar

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	About Concordance™

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
5. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.   

Peppermint Hot Chocolate (Martha Stewart)
Starbucks has got nothing on the whole-made version.

 

Serves 4

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 quart milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (3 ounces)
• 7 peppermint sticks; 3 crushed (1/4 cup), 4 left whole
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Place cocoa in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk until cocoa has dissolved. Add chocolate chips and crushed peppermint; simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and peppermint have melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Add salt. Ladle into mugs; serve each with a peppermint stick.
   

 Or if this is too much for you, just buy some (I won't tell anyone)...

Williams Sonoma ($19.50)

Trader Joes