Carrot Cookies with Orange Glaze

Certain foods are an instant reminder of the holidays. For me, this cookies are the epitome of Christmas. My mom always made these when I was a kid and the recipe was passed down from her side of the family. Every time I make them, I'm always surprised how good they are! I usually make a bit of extra glaze because I love to cover these pretty generously.

Cookie Batter:

1 C shortening

3/4 C sugar

1 C cooked, mashed carrots

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 T milk

2 C flour

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

3/4 C coconut

Orange Frosting:

4 1/2 C powdered sugar

1/2 C softened butter

4 T fresh squeezed orange juice

Grated orange rind from one orange

1. Boil 8 oz of carrots. (Baby carrots work great.) Drain and mash with a potato masher. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, beat one cup of shortening on low. Slowly add in 3/4 cups of sugar and beat on medium high until blended. One at a time, add the carrots, egg and vanilla. Blend each ingredient with the beaters until evenly mixed. 

3. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt, then sift into bowl stirring into batter. Add in coconut, folding into batter.

4. When completely mixed together, drop teaspoon sized balls onto a greased cookie sheet. 

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes or until cookies are rounded and bottoms are browned. Cool on a wire rack.

6. Beat together ingredients for the orange glaze on medium speed. Consistency should be creamy but loose. Spread glaze over each cookie and let harden. Store in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Candy

Who doesn't love a delicious chewy caramel? Sweet and salty, these treats are great gifts and staples for the Holidays. I'm not going to convince you they are easy, but if you follow the tips below, you'll become a caramel making machine! Watch out, these are highly addictive.

1 C sugar

1/4 C room temp water

1 C cream

3 T butter

1 vanilla bean halved and scraped

1 t fleur de sel (sea salt)

1 t vanilla

candy thermometer

8x6 or 7x5 glass dish

parchment paper

wisk

TIP #1: Prep everything beforehand. The timing of each step is essential to successfully making caramel. Follow the below process exactly.

1. Line your glass pan with parchment paper. very lightly butter the parchment paper and set aside.


2. In a small sauce pan, melt 3 T butter over medium heat. Add 1 cup of cream, halved and scraped vanilla bean and 1 teaspoons fleur de sel. Stir to dissolve salt. Wait for mixture to simmer, then remove from heat and pour into a measuring cup. Set this mixture aside for later.

TIP #2: For the next step, use a medium size sauce pan with high sides and a heavy bottom. Non stick pans should NOT be used.

3. Combine the 1/4 cup of room temperature water and 1 C sugar. Stir until mixed evenly. Turn burner to medium. Run warm water over end of candy thermometer and insert into sugar mixture. From this point on, DO NOT STIR this mixture and don't make any adjustments to the pan or the heat. All of this can cause the sugar to seize and your batch will be ruined. If needed you can gently swirl the pan on the burner, but I try to avoid this.

4. Closely watch the candy thermometer. As soon as it registers 320 degrees, slide the pan off the heat. Slowly drizzle the cream mixture into the hot sugar while wisking continuously. The sugar mixture will bubble up, but continue to stir consistently until all the cream is incorporated. I usually leave the candy thermometer in the mixture and stir around it.


5. Slide the pan back onto the burner (which is still set to medium heat) and continue to cook this mixture. It will bubble up again and then remain at a rolling bubble.

6. When the candy thermometer reads between 240-248 degrees, remove the pan from the heat and immediately (and carefully) pour the caramel into the parchment paper lined glass dish.

TIP #3: The final temperature is what dictates the texture of the caramel. The lower end of the spectrum yields a very soft chewy caramel while the higher end gives you a very firm consistency like a sugar daddy.

7. Let caramel cool to room temperature. Then lift the parchment paper out and chop candy into squares.

8. Wrap each square individually and enjoy!

Twice Baked Potato

4 large russet potatoes (approx 3/4 lbs)

Olive oil

3/4 stick of butter (unsalted), softened

8oz sour cream

1/4 C milk

2 C Sargento sharp white cheddar cheese

Chopped chives or green onion

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Wash and dry potatoes

Place on baking sheet and poke holes all over with a fork

Rub each potato with olive oil

Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes

Remove from oven. Holding potato in a dish towel (they are scorching hot!) cut in half. Scoop middle out of each potato half with a spoon and place in a mixing bowl.

Place hollowed potato skins back in the oven while you make the filling.

Add 3/4 stick of butter softened and chopped into small "pads" of butter to the potato mixture. Mash with a potato masher.

Add 8oz sour cream (light works too!), 1/4 C milk, 1 C cheddar, chopped chives or green onion plus salt and pepper to taste.

Remove potatoes from the oven and fill each with the potato mixture. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and place back in the oven and cook for 20 more minutes. Garnish with chives or green onions.

Enjoy!