Mondays snow day= baking christmas treats

 Since we had a blizzard sunday, Monday we had a snow day.  I had not only my two monkeys but the lovely Grace again.  So it was the perfect day to get some holiday baking done.  After lots of cursing and the use of not one but both computers in the house I managed to get my Christmas play list onto my ipod and we set to work.  First on the list was the Orange Almond Biscotti.  It is soo delicious and will make your house smell wonderful.  We learned to bake this when I lived in Cheyenne WY.  (yes I lived in Washington, Kansas, Wyoming, and Minnesota.) but our neighbors mom was home and baking and when my sister asked for the recipe the little old Norwegian lady came over and taught us how to bake it.  She was so quick and practiced at it we were in awe.

 Orange Almond Biscotti

2/3 c sugar

1/2 c oil

3T grated orange peel

1 1/2 t vanilla

a dash of almond ext.

2 eggs

2 1/2 c flour

1 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

 Preheat oven to 350. beat the sugar oil orange peel vanilla and egg in medium bowl .  In separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  add together with wet ingredients.  turn dough on lightly floured surface.  Knead the dough until smooth.  Shaped the dough into two rectangles.  Place on cookie sheet bake half hour.  remove from oven cut diagonally into 1/2'' slices lay on side bake 15 minutes on each side.  Remove from oven let cool.

Frosting;  2 c podwedered sugar, I squeeze just a bit of juice from the orange into the bowl, a dash of almond ex., milk and 2T butter.   I just sorta wing it with the frosting.  I want it to be not as thick as cookie frosting but not as thin as a glaze so that it will set.  just play with it a bit then frost the large side of the biscotti.  

with those done next up was the Snicker Doodles.  

 

1 1/2 c sugar (reserve 1/4 c for rolling)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 c shortening

2 eggs

2 3/4 c flour

2 t cream of tarter

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

2 t cinnamon (reserve for rolling)

preheat oven to 400.  Mix sugar butter, shortening, eggs.

mix flour, of tarter, baking soda and salt add went and dry ingredients and form into T size balls roll into sugar and cinnamon then bake for 8-10 min :)

Last but not least everyones favorite my sisters best friend cindy tought me to bake these amazing cookies one day when I was 18 and I have baked them every year since and it always brings back the memory of baking them with her beautiful little girls.   These are the best sugar cookies they have a fluffiness reminiscent of loft house cookies and the frosting is to die for I bake at least double or triple batch every year and freeze some right away (they are awesome straight out of the freezer :)  Fire monster was baking in her Belle costume :)

Cindy Lu's Sugar cookies

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

1c butter

1 egg

1t vanilla

1/2 t almond ext.

2 1/2 c flour 

1t baking soda

1t cream of tarter

mix up let chill

 bake 350 7-8 min

Frosting

1/2 - 1 stick butter 

3c powdered sugar 

cream 

2t almond ext.

I hope you guys try these and I hope you love them as much as my family does.  I packed up half the stuff and sent it to my favorite neighbors right away and but half my sugar cookies in the freezer and by yesterday morning the other half of the sugar cookies were gone!!!  Let me know if you try these.