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Mexican Wedding Cookies

June 14, 2009 10 Comments
To go along with our wedding and shower theme, this week’s recipe is Mexican Wedding Cookies. This is an easy and quick cookie recipe, similar to short bread cookies. Serve them up for a party or a quick snack!

Recipe for Mexican Wedding Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and pecans, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 14 to 15 min. or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Roll warm cookies in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar until evenly coated; place on wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

-Jerri



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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by As For Me and My House….
Make Something Monday is hosted by Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom and Diana Rambles.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
I Am Blissfully Domestic is hosted by Blissfully Domestic.
Ultimate Recipe is Swap is hosted by Life as Mom.
Friday Feasts is hosted by Momtrends.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Hooked on Fridays is hosted by Hooked on Houses

Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, cookies and candy, Recipe of the Week

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with See’s Candies

February 13, 2009 6 Comments

Still shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts? Consider buying a delicious box of chocolates from See’s Famous Old-Time Candies for that special someone.

I recently tried an assortment of milk chocolates from See’s Candies, and I was very impressed.

See’s Candies was founded in 1921 and is wildly popular in the West. The company is known for its friendly, old-fashioned service and its tradition of using only the finest ingredients to make their delicious chocolates.

Being a Southern girl, I had never had the opportunity to try See’s Candies until recently. When my package arrived in the mail I was thrilled, and I was even more excited when I looked at the contents.
As you know, when you open a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to find. I carefully chose my first piece and was very pleased. It was a Milk Chocolate Butter, a milk chocolate coated confection filled with a sweet, smooth chocolate buttercream. I could have eaten an entire box of these!

Next I tried a Milk Pattie, which was filled with yummy vanilla caramel. (The caramel ones are always my favorite!) And I was more than pleasantly surprised to find another caramel treat, a Milk Butterchew, filled with vanilla, brown sugar caramel. I can’t even describe how good these were! From here, I went on to try the Milk Peanut (yum!), and a Milk Molasses chip.
Then, in order to prevent myself from eating the entire box, I had to offer some to my husband. Hubby heard me rave about this array of yummy sweets, and I suspect he was a little skeptical, thinking they can’t be THAT good. Judging by his reaction, I think his skepticism instantly disappeared. “MMM!” he said biting into his candy. “That IS good. And I don’t usually eat chocolates. Wow!”
I absolutely concur with his quick assessment. And I must confess, while I eat my fair share of cookies and cakes, I don’t usually eat a lot of candy. Most of the time if someone gives me a box of candy, I pick through it and find about two or three pieces that I like and the rest is given away to a friend or thrown away.

 

This was definitely an exceptional box of candy! For the first time I was actually eager to try each and every piece. After trying just a piece or two, I was convinced that each treat would be delicious, including flavors that don’t generally appeal to me, or to put it another away, flavors that I didn’t even know I liked. The candies were perfectly fresh, sweet, and smoothly textured. They weren’t overly rich and heavy like so many other chocolates I’ve tried. And the taste was simply unbeatable!

 

What makes this company even better in my book is that you can go to their website and purchase your own custom mix. You can choose up to ten of your favorites from their list of 102 candies to be included in your custom mix and even adjust the proportions. This is a great option whether you are buying for yourself or a friend.
In the future when I choose to order chocolates I’ll definitely shop See’s Candies. And I strongly recommend them to everyone.

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Filed Under: cookies and candy, fashion, product review, Valentine's Day

Sweet Thursday: Happy Valentine’s Day

February 12, 2009 9 Comments

Today we have a great collection of Valentine Sweets from our fellow blogger friends. These will definitely make your mouth water!

Thanks again to everyone who submitted or gave permission to use their stuff!

As for next month’s round-up, I have had the most difficult time deciding on a theme and corresponding date. Finally I decided on two themes: St. Patrick’s Day & Mardi Gras. And the due date to send in your goodies will be March 11. This date will be a little early for St. Patrick’s Day and a little late for Mardi Gras, but hopefully they can meet in the middle, and we get at least a handful of delicious treats.

To be featured in next month’s Sweet Thursday round-up, contact me at simplysweethome@hotmail.com. For rules and guidelines, click here.

Sweetheart Jamwiches from Sherry at Lamp Unto My Feet.

Chocolate Covered Heart Shaped Vanilla Cookies from Nina at Nina’s Culinary Creations

Valentine Cupcakes from Mary Beth at Cupcakes and Crinoline

Licorice Love from Meaghan at the decorated cookie
Red’s Ultimate M&M Cookies from Monica at Lick The Bowl Good
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake from Kristin at Alpine Klein Bunch – One Day at a Time


-Jerri


Filed Under: cookies and candy, desserts, Sweet Thursday

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Cookies

February 9, 2009 23 Comments

Dieters, look away! (Just kidding!) Since Valentine’s Day is this week, I just had to post something sweet and chocolately. Over the weekend I tried out this new recipe for Chocolate Cookies, which definitely fits the bill! Bet you can’t eat just a dozen!

Recipe for Chocolate Cookies:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Directions: Beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt alternately with milk, beating until well blended. Cover and chill for an hour or until dough is firm. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes

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Please visit the following sites for more great recipes & other ideas:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Forever Wherever.
Life as a Mom is hosting a cookie exchange on April 16.


-Jerri


Filed Under: cookies and candy, Recipe of the Week, Valentine's Day

Favorite Recipes of 2008

January 1, 2009 2 Comments
Last year I did a post, highlighting my favorite posts of 2007. This year I’m doing something a little different. I did a round up of some of my favorite recipe posts. After all, the recipes seem to get the most comments; plus, a lot of my other posts are seasonal in nature, but recipes are relevant for the entire year.

I can’t really say that I have any *absolute* favorite recipes. Then again, does anyone really have a #1 favorite recipe or even a favorite recipe post? But I felt that all of these were worthy of a second look. Happy New Year!

Cakes & Pies

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Cake

Mini Almond Bundt Cakes

Coconut Cream Cake

Egg Custard Pie

Easy Autumn Pear Cake

Other Desserts

Apple Crisp

Peanut Butter Balls

Cake Mix Cookies

Unbaked Caramel Cookie Bars

Cinnamon Muffins

Other Recipes

Crab Appetizer Napoleons

Fantasy Football Meatballs

Chicken Florentine

Bacon, Caesar, Mozzarella Panini


-Jerri

Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, Best Posts, casseroles and quick meals, cookies and candy, desserts, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Cake Mix Cookies

December 18, 2008 15 Comments


A lot of the times when I want fresh-baked cookies, I just buy cookie dough and bake it, because it’s so easy, especially now that they have the break-and-bake stuff. But for gift baskets and parties, I like to have cookies that I can truly say were made by me.

Here’s an incredibly easy cookie recipe that I just tried for the first time the other day. These are so sweet and delicious, I could hardly wait to share them! The best thing about this recipe (besides the taste, of course) was that I had all the ingredients on hand already. I just hate finding a new recipe and not being able to make it because I’m lacking ingredients. As soon as I found the recipe, I got up immediately and had them made in minutes. Perfect!

I’m planning on making cookie & candy gift baskets for people, and these are definitely going in the baskets! I’m also submitting these to the following carnivals: Cottage Magpie hosted a cookie exchange this week, and My Kitchen Treasures is hosting a Homemade Christmas Gifts event. I’m also posting these on The Happy Housewife for the dessert portion of the Bloggy Progressive Dinner and to the Eat Christmas Cookies event at Food Blogga.

Happy Baking!

Recipe for Cake Mix Cookies:
Ingredients:
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
candy sprinkles (optional)
Directions: Mix eggs, water, oil, and cake mix. After well mixed, add sprinkles. Roll into balls and place on greased cookie sheet or cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Place about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. (Makes 2 dozen cookies)
Tips & Suggestions:
-After baking, cover with additional sprinkles or dust with powdered sugar.
-If you’ve got a real sweet tooth, upon cooling, cover cookies with your favorite icing.
-Try this recipe with other flavored cake mixes, or change it up by adding nuts or chocolate chips.
-To keep dough from sticking to your hands, cover your hands in powdered sugar.


-Jerri


Filed Under: Christmas, cookies and candy, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter Balls

December 12, 2008 7 Comments

To me, no food says, “Merry Christmas” like Peanut Butter balls. When I was growing up, we used to make these every year at Christmas. It is, by far, my most favorite Christmas recipe and favorite candy recipe of all time!

I didn’t actually make the ones pictured here. They came from a friend. These are a little different from the one’s we always made. The biggest difference is that we covered our completely in chocolate, and these obviously are not completely covered. But they taste good either way. Some people also refer to this “not completely covered” version as Buckeyes.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients:
3 cups peanut butter
2 boxes powdered sugar
2 tpsp vanilla
2 sticks margarine
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz)
1/2 block paraffin wax
Directions:
Mix peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and margarine, roll into balls. Place on trays, covered in wax paper. Insert toothpicks. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. Use a double boiler to melt chocolate chips and wax together. (The chocolate will be a thin liquid, and will be shell-like once the balls have cooled.) Dip balls in chocolate and place on wax paper.
Tips & Suggestions:
-If you’re in a hurry and/or only need a small batch of these, this recipe is easy to divide in half.
-Be sure to use semi-sweet chips. If you use milk chocolate, it won’t melt in properly with the wax.
-Chilling the balls for an hour with the toothpicks already inserted will make the dipping easier. If you stick the balls at room temperature and then immediately dip them, the balls are more likely to fall off into the chocolate.
-Keep a spoon or other utensil handy, in case you have to “fish” any of the balls out of the chocolate.
-To completely cover the balls in chocolate and fill in the holes, go over all the balls with a spoon of left over chocolate at the end.
-Don’t forget to stir the chocolate occasionally in the middle of the dipping process. And use a double boiler to prevent sticking.
-If you’re making the large batch, be sure that you have your counter & fridge completely cleared so that you have plenty of space to lay out the balls.
-The rolling & the dipping can be a very timely process. It definitely doesn’t hurt to have a partner or helpers on this one.


-Jerri


Filed Under: Christmas, cookies and candy, recipes

Half a Dozen Christmas Cookies

December 10, 2008 7 Comments

No food is more closely associated with Christmas than cookies. So here’s a lovely selection of yummy Christmas cookies from our fellow blogging friends. That Santa’s a lucky man! Below each photo, you’ll find a link to the blog where the cookies came from. And thanks everyone for allowing me to share your goodies! Enjoy!

Chocolate Kris Krinkle Cookies from Rosie Bakes a “Peace” of Cake. Don’t these look yummy? Rosie never ceases to amaze with her delicious looking cakes and treats. Move over Betty Crocker! (You can also participate in her Sweet and Simple Bakes each month.)

Lemon & Strawberry Jam Christmas Cookies from Nina’s Cooking 4 Fun. Very pretty! Nina’s food creations are beautifully photographed. You can request her recipes by emailing her at ninaartdesign@yahoo.com. You can also check out her other blogs, devoted to art and jewelry creations, gardening, and even one of a kind envelopes. She’s a true artist. (and a busy woman!)

English Toffee from Prudence Pennywise. Not really a cookie, but I wanted to include it anyway! Prudy creates “scandously good food on a budget.” And right now she’s doing a neat little series of posts on Christmas Around the World.

Snickerdoodles with Cinnamon Chips from Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade Way. MaryBeth’s Snickerdoodles are just one of many, scrumptious looking recipes on this blog. And each of her lovely pictures is worth a thousand words!

Molasses Cookies from Lamp Unto My Feet. Sherry’s blog has a little bit of everything from the realm of home and family. And she’s posted more great Christmas goodies that you’ll love!

The Best Sugar Cookies from Baking Delights. Sugar cookies are one of my all time favorites. They’re such a simple classic! Try these and other delicous cookies and food recipes made by Marye.


-Jerri


Filed Under: Christmas, cookies and candy, recipes

The Best of Simply Sweet Home: The Christmas Recipe Edition

December 9, 2008 8 Comments


Time for more of my favorite posts from a year ago. I did a lot of Christmas recipe posts last year, and since this is Recipe Week in my little Christmas festival, I thought it would be a good time to revisit last December’s recipes.

I recommend the appetizers and the holiday poke cupcakes, but that’s just me! My husband recommends the coconut macaroons. (Unless you’re coming to my house; in which case, they’re no good. lol.)

Appetizers:
Christmas Pinwheels
Crunchy Cheese Crisps
Sausage Balls

Desserts:
Coconut Macaroons
Peppermint Brittle
Fantasy Fudge
Holiday Poke Cakes
Chocolate Bon Bons
Rudolph Cupcakes


-Jerri


Filed Under: appetizers and snacks, Best Posts, cookies and candy, cupcakes, recipes

Works for Me Wednesday: Ultimate Fudge Truffles, An Easy Treat for The Holidays

November 12, 2008 14 Comments

The Thanksgiving/Christmas season will soon be upon us, which means millions of people will be flocking to the massive store displays of baking ingredients and returning home to their kitchens to create an array of cakes, cookies, and confections. Yum!

I love this time of year, and I love baking. But I sometimes dread making Christmas candy. I, of course, love the end result and enjoy eating the fruits of my labor. But I think my candy making process sometimes looks a lot like Lucy and Ethel in the chocolate factory.

That’s why I love recipes like the one I posted last week for my recipe of the week. The unbaked caramel cookies were quick and easy to make, and the process didn’t totally destroy my clean kitchen. Here’s another easy treat that you can make for for this holiday season:

Betty Crocker’s Ultimate Fudge Truffles are a great treat that you can make in minutes. These are perfect to carry to a Thanksgiving or Christmas party or to stuff in your Christmas candy gift baskets. You only need a couple of ingredients to go along with the kit, and the process is simple.

Simply mix the ingredients, heat in the microwave, spread out the batter, and let it set for a few minutes. Then cut the batter and form into balls. You can then roll them in the topping of choice. The kit comes with cocoa to roll the truffles in, but I chose, instead, to leave some plain while dipping others in powdered sugar or sprinkles. You could also use chopped nuts or give them a drizzle of caramel or fudge. The kit even comes with little wrapper/cups to put the truffles in.

This and other dessert kits are great if you don’t have time to look up a bunch of recipes and shop for a bunch of ingredients, or if you’re just not a skilled baker. It can also save you a lot of money because you’re not having to puchase an entire cart full of ingredients.


I totally recommend this kit to all you chocolate lovers out there and to anyone who, like me, loves to eat candy and treats and is looking for something easy & quick to make.

Post Update: I should mention that these truffles remind me more of fudge brownies than of the little truffles you get in the store with the chocolate shell. If you want a chocolate shell on them, I guess it would be easy enough to melt a couple of squares of bakers chocolate and dip them. But again, I love them as is, and my husband liked them too. (And he’s not even a choc-o-holic!)

For other great ideas, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

-Jerri



Filed Under: Christmas, cookies and candy, fall, product review, Simple Solutions, Thanksgiving
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