Sparrow's Nest Cookie Exchange

Over at the

Sparrow's Nest

Mrs.Wilt is hosting a Christmas cookie exchange. I love cookies!? :) And just because I do love treats so much I'll put in two recipes. Woo hoo!

Graham Cracker Squares
1 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
30 Graham crackers broken into quarter size pieces

In medium saucepan, whisk together egg and brown sugar.
Whisk in cocoa and vanilla.
Add shortening and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Boil 1 minute. Immediately pour over graham wafers.
Put in 8x8 pan. Press down slightly to smooth top.

Icing:
1 Cup Icing Sugar
2 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Tbsp Vanilla
Lump of Butter
1/4 tsp Salt

Mix with milk to make icing and spread over top of graham wafer mixture.
Put in fridge 1 hour or more to set.

* I must say it is very important to mix the egg with the sugar, cocoa and vanilla before heating!


Peanut Butter Balls
We love baking with peanut butter and this is so easy and tasty it's scary. No actual 'baking' involved. :)
All you need:

1 Cup Peanut butter
1 Cup Icing sugar
1 Cup Rice Krispies
1/4 Cup Butter softened

Mix the butter with the peanut butter and add the icing sugar.
Add the Rice Krispies and mix all up.
Roll into 1 inch balls and then roll in icing sugar to coat.

Another option if you don't mind a little mess is to melt milk chocolate chips and use spoons to dip and cover peanut butter balls and let harden on wax paper. That's the way I usually do them. These never last long around the kids and have become an expected holiday treat. Just remember that you may need to store them in the fridge for a while so they don't get too soft. All thanks to Grandma for this recipe.

Make that 3 recipes. :)
Melt in your mouth Shortbread
You may think you have the best shortbread recipe in the world, and I don't mean to be rude, but you don't. If you want total melt-in-your-mouth shortbread, just like the olden days, then we've got the recipe for you just in time for the holidays. It is pictured just under those yummy peanut butter balls on the cute snowman plate.
I took a whole big tin of this to a little gathering in Ontario and didn't get to bring a speck of it home. Everyone wanted to know who brought the shortbread and where the recipe was.
And believe me, you have to use your hands to do all the mixing. It really does make a difference. Once I was so energetic I mixed it for 20 minutes instead of 10 and it was even better.
Another must with the recipe is to use Splenda whether you need to or not. Using regular sugar just ruins it for some reason.

1 lb Butter, softened
1 pkg Rice Flour
1 Cup Splenda white sugar
3 1/2 -3/4 Cup All purpose flour

Mix all together with hands only 10 - 15 minutes at least. (The longer you mix it the better it is.)
Make into 1 ball and roll out to 1/2" thickness on floured area.
Cut into bars (just like you were cutting squares to serve) and place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
Bake at 225 F for about 40 min. Until top is dry and dusty. (It's hard to tell until you've done it once. Just brush it with your finger to see if it's dusty or damp.) It's another one of those times when you take it out when you think they aren't quite done.
Place on cooling rack and taste test as soon as your lips won't get burned. :)

~Shannon