Coconut-Filled Chocolate Delights

Coconut-Filled Chocolate Delights 
Originally uploaded by Pillsbury.com

Well they say December 18 is Bake Cookies Day. In honor of that I've decided to post this recipe by Pillsbury for Coconut-Filled Chocolate Delights in hopes that it will entice everyone to bake cookies.  I thought the chocolate and coconut would be a good match for Christmas week. I think you could drizzle a bit of red or green chocolate on top for some festive flair.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup Fisher® Roasted and Salted Almonds
1 1/2 cups coconut
1/2 cup Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk (from 14-oz can)
1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
1/3 cup Hershey’s® baking cocoa
1/3 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Reserve 20 almonds; set aside. Chop remaining almonds. In medium bowl, stir chopped almonds, coconut and milk until well blended. Refrigerate mixture 25 minutes for easier handling. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, knead cookie dough and cocoa with hands until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside.
3. For each cookie, press 1 rounded tablespoon dough into 3-inch round. Place 1 tablespoon coconut mixture on center of each round. Wrap dough around filling, pressing edges to seal; shape into a ball. Place balls 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press each ball with fingers into 2 1/2-inch round. Press 1 whole almond on each cookie.
4. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until puffed and edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 10 to 20 second, stirring every 10 seconds, until smooth. Place in resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut small tip from corner of bag. Drizzle chocolate over cookies. Before storing, let cookies stand at room temperature until chocolate is set. Store in airtight container.

Gazpacho Recipe

Gazpacho is a soup served on National Gazpacho Day which is celebrated every December 6. On this day people are encouraged to gather together and enjoy this cold soup. 

By Javier Lastras  (Gazpacho con su Guarnición)

Gazpacho is a cold Spanish / Portuguese tomato-based raw vegetable soup, originating in the southern region of Andalucia. Gazpacho is widely consumed throughout Spain, neighboring Portugal (where it is known as gaspacho) and parts of Latin America. Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature. 

Gazpacho is a hearty soup that is served cold, making it a perfect way to cool down and replenish the body on a hot, summer day in Andalucía. This is the classic gazpacho recipe, but there are many other variations. Gazpacho is typically served along with the main course, or afterward. Some Spaniards serve it in a glass, as a beverage to accompany the meal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb /450 g tomatoes
• ½ lb / 225 g green peppers (bell pepper, capsicum)
• ½ cucumber
• clove of garlic
• 2 oz / 50 g white bread, 2-3 days old (also optional, leave out for a thinner soup)
• ½ mild Spanish onion
• 1 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ⅓ pt / 2.4 dl iced water
• sea salt and black pepper
• ice cubes

Optional

• ¼ chilli pepper, seeds removed
• Cilantro

Garnish

• 1 tomato, skinned
• ½ green pepper
• ¼ peeled cucumber
• bread

Procedure

Skin the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Remove seeds and stalks from peppers. Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks. Tear up the bread and soak in the water for 30 minutes and then squeeze it dry. Cut up the onion.,

Blend all the ingredients until roughly chopped, not too fine, because the soup should have texture and discernible vegetable bits. Pour into large bowl with some ice, add salt and pepper. Then prepare the garnishes. Dice the bread and fry it in a little olive oil until brown. Chop the other vegetables finely. Serve in separate little bowls on the table, so that guests can sprinkle on their own toppings.
Serve chilled.

Happy National Cookie Day

I know December is a big month for cookies. Because of Christmas; everyone is baking like crazy for family get together's, Christmas parties, office snacks and for food gifts. We are all buying new cookie cutters, surfing the internet for new cookie recipes and even hosting cookie exchange parties too.

By Clara from AUSTRIAcreativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Well in honor of National Cookie Day... I've decided to make an easy list of links to help everyone enjoy in the fun of baking cookies. Below you'll find some of my articles, some how-to articles, gifting tips and cookie recipes too.

I would like to wish you all... a very Happy Cookie Day and encourage all of you to have some cookie fun with your family and friends. If you've never made cookies before do give it a try. There's no match for hot out of the oven cookies. There delicious! And if you need a new way to let off some steam. Well I suggest you give decorating cookies a try. It's fun and relaxing at the same time. If you have kids this is a perfect way to spend some quality time together too. Give it a try. And remember- a gift of cookies always warms the heart of others.

Cookie Articles in this blog:
• Holiday cookie exchange
• Tea parties with tea party cookies
• Christmas Cookies
• Cookie Cutter Fudge- Gift Idea
• National Cookie Cutter Week

Helpful Links from my website:
• ausuki-lithuanian-christmas-or-easter-cookie-recipe
• Fondant for cookies
• Christmas Cookies
• Gingerbread Man Cookie Recipe
• Cookie Decorating

• Cookie Cutters

• Cookie Classifications

• Cookie Varieties

• Cookie Icing

My Personal Favorite Cookie Recipes:
• Holiday Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
• Potato Chip Cookies made with potato chips!
• Pinwheel Cookies
• Best ever Cream Cheese Cookies
• Pecan Pie Cookies
• Peach Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
• Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookies 
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
• White Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Favorite Outside Links:
• Cut it Out! It's National Cookie Day!
• How to make your own cookie cutters
• Amazon/cookie cutter store
• make/diy-cookie-cutters

National Fritters Day

December 2 is National Fritters Day each and every year! 
A fritter is any kind of food coated in batter and deep fried. Although very similar to a doughnut it differs in the fact that it requires some base ingredient beyond the dough it is cooked with.

Guys I really have to tell you... when I say this is a favorite treat of mine I mean it. This is "really" a favorite of mine. I love very crispy cooked apple fritters and I really do enjoy making them myself. I will share the recipe that I make with you at the bottom of this post ok.

The first time I ate a fritter... was on vacation with my parents in Tennessee. Before that we had never even heard of a fritter. I still remember how my whole family stood outside a little deep fry stand and ate a brown paper sack full of apple fritters. Yep they bagged them in brown paper bags. (It helped to absorb the grease) A great memory for me.

In the United States..., fritters are small cakes made with a primary ingredient that is mixed with an egg and milk batter and either pan-fried or deep-fried; wheat flour, cornmeal, or a mix of the two may be used to bind the batter. " Corn fritters" are often made with whole canned corn and are generally deep-fried. "Apple fritters" are well known, although the American apple fritter is unlike the British one. Clam cakes and crab cakes are varieties of fritter too. Did you know that? Another regional favorite is the " zucchini fritter." Although I have never tried it before.

My Apple Fritter Recipe

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup finely chopped apple

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add milk and egg; beat until batter is smooth. Fold in chopped apple. Drop by teaspoonfuls into deep hot oil -- about 370° and at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches deep -- and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, until nicely browned.

Drain well on paper towels then I like to dip them in a thin coat of sugar glaze. Some folks roll them in confectioners' sugar while still warm. Serve as is or warm. I sometimes mix up a bowl of sweet cream cheese for dipping them in. Other people like to dip them in syrup. To be honest, their perfect as they are and don't need a dip. 

Note: Make sure your oil is hot hot hot! There's nothing worse than a greasy fritter.
resources: national fritters day / gone-ta-pott.com / wikipedia / encyclopedia /