On Dec 14, 8:38*am, "Nexis" > wrote:
> I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
> Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com
> It was a lot of good food, and a lot of good fun! And everyone went home
> with a good sized care package full of goodies!

Oh! Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful collection! My
family has taken to "assigning" the generations (myself, my daughter,
and grand daughter) with the making of individual treats each
Christmas. Ones that each of us have rather mastered and only make
for sharing at our family get together on Christmas morning. We three
each make special bags or boxes of our specialty for others to take
home, as well as at least one large serving platter for enjoying while
keeping company with the family "others" that day.

At your invitation I have copied the photos and instruction for your
Lacies and French Christmas Cookies to add to my giving this year. I
suspect that with the sharing, I wll be assigned another two cookies
to bring each year, along with Maple Pecan Cookies and another cookie
I make without nuts, but with varied dried fruits .that I tossed
together last year(special-made one year for nut-alergic daughter).
The Maple Pecans I do make throughout the year to take in for my
Marines who love them, and I'm happy to share them here for those who
may not have seen them in a Penzey's Spices issue. The recipe doubles
quite well, and the unbaked batter rolls freeze well to defrost and
use a few weeks later....

Maple Pecan Cookies

2 sticks (8 oz.) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg yolk
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1+1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped (about 6 oz)

In a medium bowl, beat the butter until pale and creamy, about three
minutes. Gradually beat in sugar until well blended. Add the maple
syrup, egg yolk and vanilla; mix until blended. Mix in the flour and
pecans until blended.

Divide dough in half (or thirds) and shape into long logs (using a
little flour on your hands if it gets too sticky). The easiest way to
get a nice circular shape is to place the dough on plastic wrap, pull
the wrap aqround the to-be log, and roll with your hands until round
((about 1+1/2" round). Refrigerate until firm, at least two hours (or
freeze).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and take the dough out of the refer one
roll at a time, unwrap the roll to work with and slice the dough about
1/2" thick. Place the disks on an ungreased cookie sheet (I also
smush each one down just a bit) and bake for about 20-25 minutes
(here, 23 works best for me), until golden. Transfer to a wire rack
to cool; store sealed; yields near tro four dozen cookies.

Picks' Notes: Instead of wrap-rolling the dough to refrigerate,
simply press the dough onto a cookie sheet with water-dampened hands,
leaving an empty border all around, then use a small cookie cutter to
place disks only 3/8" apart on sheets to bake for 21 minutes until
golden just around the edges. These baked and cooled cookies also
quick-freeze in single layers first, then bag-freeze by the dozen
quite well for a month or two.

.....Picky