White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold butter
• 12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
• 2 teaspoons shortening
• White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

• Storage Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts (White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread)

• Servings Per Recipe 60,
• Calories 87,
• Protein (gm) 1,
• Carbohydrate (gm) 9,
• Fat, total (gm) 5,
• Cholesterol (mg) 9,
• Saturated fat (gm) 3,
• Vitamin A (IU) 97,
• Sodium (mg) 28,
• Calcium (DV %) 10,
• Iron (DV %) 0,

Pumpkin Dip

8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
24 apple slices

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blending. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple slices.

Hamburger Soup

1 lb. hamburger

1 cup diced onion

1 large can (2 1/2 cups) diced tomatoes

1 Bay leaf

1 Qt water

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup diced potatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cups sliced celery

1/4 cup broken spaghetti

1 cup shredded cabbage - optional -

1 can beef broth

Brown beef and onion together. Drain. In large pot add beef mix, water, potatoes, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer 1 hour.

Grandma's Strawberry Cheesecake

1 small lemon jello
1 tsp lemon juice

1 pkg cream cheese

1/4 cup butter (melted)

2 tbsp powdered sugar

1 pint strawberries (fresh)

1 pkg strawberry deserta

1 can condensed milk (chilled)

12 graham crackers

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cream tarter

1 cup sugar

Mix lemon jello with 1 cup boiling water, add lemon juice, refrigerate until cool.

Mix strawberry deserta according to package and leave to cool.

Take graham crackers, crush and add melted butter and 2 tbsp powdered sugar to make crust. Put in 8x8 inch cake pan. Bake on 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Mix cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla in separate small bowl.

In blender whip chilled milk, 1/2 cup sugar, cream of tarter until fluffy (about 10 minutes). Add jello, cream cheese mixture and mix.

Pour on graham cracker crust, top with sliced strawberries, then strawberry deserta.

Chill and enjoy!

Carmel Popcorn

From Gretchen

2 Sticks Butter
4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Honey (it is expensive so I usually use Kero Syrup Light)
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (don't usually always have, so I use evaporated milk)
3 Popped Bags of Movie Theater (extra butter) Microwave Popcorn

Melt butter and then add sugar, honey (syrup), whipping cream (evap milk) and stir. Bring to a boil to a soft ball stage at around 240 degrees?I don't have a candy thermometer so once it comes to a boil I usually let it boil for about 8-10 min.REMEMBER: once it smoothed together DO NOT scrap the sides of the pan, because once on the popcorn and cools will crystalize and you don't want that.

Most of the time I can use up to 6 bags of popcorn, but maybe that is becuase I am not cooking the mixture long enough to make it harder then it usually turns out.

Enjoy!